Reverse This Curse
by HandOfSorrow
Summary: Ai Fukanou, an S-ranked ninja from the Village Hidden in the Snow, is captured by Akatsuki members Hidan and Kakuzu, brought to the Leader, and then made a member. To make things worse, Ai finds herself having feelings for the silver-haired ninja. HidanOC
1. Chapter 1

"God damnit…they really love to make things difficult," Ai sighed as she wiped blood off her cheek, "Blocking their vital areas…bastards." Ai breathed heavily as she stared down at the corpses of her former opponents. Half of them were shattered, now lying on the ground in little pieces, half frozen, while the others were badly cut up, killed by blood loss.

"These jerkoffs show up too often," Ai said, leaning against a tree, "Of course, I guess I am pretty close to a village aren't I…can't tell which…but I shouldn't wander so close." She stood and began to walk away, wandering aimlessly away from the village she was near. Her ninja headband bounced lightly against her hip as she walked, reflecting a ray of moonlight every so often. Annoyed, Ai pulled it off her waist and shoved it in her kunai pouch, she didn't want the glint to attract unwanted attention.

"Damnit Kakuzu, I can't see out here! Why couldn't we collect this bounty in the fucking morning!?" Complained an aggravated male, his voice echoing through the night and ringing into Ai's ear.

"Because I said so. Now shut up before someone hears you," Another male said, obviously annoyed.

"Why the hell should I listen to what you say?" The first male cried, immediately followed by a loud 'thwack' noise, "OW! What the fuck was that for!?"

"I told you to be **quiet**, jackass," The second male hissed. Ai noticed a glint of metal through the trees about twenty yards away from her.

"Shit!" She muttered before scurrying up onto a tree branch. The sound of footsteps stopped.

"What did you stop for? Keep moving damnit!" The potty-mouth male yelled.

"Shh, shut the hell up. Someone's out here," The second male quietly ordered.

"How the hell can you tell when it's pitch fuckin black out here?"

"I said," A punching noise could be heard, followed by a loud groan, "Shut up!"

"Damnit Kakuzu!" The first male hissed, "Fine, someone's out here?" Footsteps echoed through the silence, and through the trees came a man with white slicked back hair, clothed in a black cloak dotted with red clouds, which was open down to about his mid-chest. He held a large three bladed scythe in his hand, pointed out into the darkness, and draped over his neck was his ninja headband as well as a beaded necklace with a pendant on the end; A circle, with an upside down triangle inside it. Ai squinted, trying to see what village he was from, but she didn't recognize the symbol.

'_Hmm,_ _He's part of the Akatsuki…_' Ai thought, recognizing the clothing.

"Whoever is out here, come the fuck out! I'm not in the mood for games!" The male yelled, looking around.

"Damnit Hidan," The second male said, annoyed, "I suppose you've never heard the word 'subtle' before in your life."

"See Kakuzu," The white haired male that Ai figured was called Hidan, said, ignoring the snide comment of his comrade, "No ones here."

"Idiot, someone could easily be hiding," The other male, Kakuzu, Ai figured his name was, said as he stepped out from the shadows. He wore something similar to a hood over his head, which doubled as his ninja headband. He was from the Waterfall village. The hood-headband double had a mask connected, which covered his mouth and nose leaving only his eyes visible. He wore the same cloak as Hidan did.

"Tch," Hidan hissed as he slung his scythe over his shoulder. With how high he had risen it, the blade cut through the air in front of Ai, coming so close that it sliced off the tip of her nose. She quickly threw her hand over the wound, and resisted the need to cry out.  
'_Stupid bastard!_' Ai mentally screamed. Below her, Hidan blinked, noticing something red fall out of the corner of his eye. He looked down and saw something in the grass by his feet. Kneeling down, he picked it up and examined it.

"…What the hell is this?" He said, disgustedly holding the bloodied artifact. Ai looked down, still holding her wounded nose, at the male.

'_What the…that's the part of my nose you just chopped off, jackass!_' Ai scowled at him.

"Put it down Hidan," Kakuzu ordered. Hidan did as he said, surprisingly, and blinked, realizing something. He swiftly looked up into the tree and squinted.

'_Oh shit,_' Ai thought.

"Oh, Kakuzu, looks like you were right," Hidan smirked, "There **is** someone out here."

"I told you," Kakuzu spoke, not caring all too much. Hidan jumped up into the tree and swung his scythe at Ai.

"Shit!" She screamed as she jumped out of the way. The scythe's blades dug into the branch, cutting it clean off of the tree. Ai landed on the ground and bolted away, sprinting as fast as she could.

'_Like __**hell**__ I'm fighting __**them**__!!_' Ai thought as she ran.

"Damn! Where'd she go?" Hidan cursed as he looked around.

"She ran away," Kakuzu calmly stated.

"I **know** that, damnit," Hidan hissed, going to run after her.

"Don't bother," Kakuzu spoke.

"Why the hell not?"

"She's already injured," Kakuzu pointed to the blood stain on the ground where Ai landed, "She'll eventually die of blood loss if she keeps running like that." Hidan blinked.

"Tch, fine," He sighed, slinging his scythe over his shoulder again, "Let's get moving then, I don't wanna be out here all night." He and Kakuzu began to walk off, in the same direction Ai was running.

"Sh-…shit…" Ai muttered, her sprint now a slow limp. The wound on her leg had just began to hurt, thought it had been bleeding for a while. "I'm starting to feel dizzy…." She slowed to a stop and leaned against a tree, looking down at her wounded leg. Her breathing was heavy, due to the pain. "Oh, come on, Ai," She reasoned with herself, "You've taken worse wounds, you can survive this." Pushing herself up again, Ai slowly began to walk off, eventually falling unconscious in a bush.

When the sun rose, Ai slowly woke, not feeling much better than she had when she blacked out.

"Ugh…" She groaned in disgust, looking down at her now blue and slightly infected wound, "God." She shakily stood, though it wasn't the smartest idea, and began to walk again.  
Not to far away, Hidan and Kakuzu were also resuming their journey, if that's what it could be called. Hidan yawned loudly, still half asleep.

"Wake up, you fool," Kakuzu scolded, not tired what so ever.

"Shut the hell up, Kakuzu," Hidan retorted, annoyed in his tired state. "Hey, wait," He spoke, stopping.

"What?" Kakuzu asked, obviously irritated.

"Isn't that the chick from last night?" Hidan asked, pointing to Ais limping figure as she slowly made her way through the forest. He was too tired to chase after her at the moment, there wasn't much of a point anyway. Since she'd probably die on her own.

"…" Kakuzu was silent as he pulled a piece of paper out of his cloak. "Hidan." He said sternly.

"_Nandayo_?" He said, not trying at all to hide his irritation.

"Get her," Kakuzu ordered.

"Why should I? She'll die on her own anyway," Hidan said, not in the mood to run after anyone.

"No, the Leader wants her," Kakuzu said, matter-o'-factly.

"What? Why the hell didn't you mention something earlier? Like, last night when I could easily grab her, for instance?" Hidan asked, err, more like yelled.

"I only got a glimpse of her back, Hidan," Kakuzu said, "It was dark as well, leaving it difficult for me to notice who exactly she was."

"Tch, fine, whatever," Hidan said, walking towards Ai, who had now disappeared within a group of trees.

"Gah…this hurts…..a lot…" Ai groaned as she walked, err, limped. She heard a twig snap a few yards behind her, and in her wounded state, she couldn't fight to well. Reaching into her pouch, she subtly pulled out a kunai and held it at her side, waiting for the stalker to come close enough. Ai continued to limp on, pretending not to notice the person behind her. Within a minute or so, she felt a hand brush against her waist.

Ai spun around and sliced the nearest body part of the person behind her, which happened to be the neck. Ai blinked, noticing there was no head on said neck. Any longer at least.

_**Thump**_

Ai felt something land on her foot, and hesitantly looked down.

"Fuck!" Screamed Hidan. "God damnit! That fucking hurt!"

"A-a-ah…" Ai stuttered, looking from the decapitated head at her feet, to the headless body that was now also on the ground, and back to the decapitated head.

"Well? Pick me up, damnit!" Hidan yelled.

"DEAR GOD IN HEAVEN!!" Ai screamed at the top of her lungs, and kicked Hidan's head as hard as she could, the pain from her leg pushed from her mind.

"GAH! DAMNIT WOMAN THAT HURT!" Hidan screamed in return, his head hitting a tree and bouncing off, hitting the ground once again.

"H-H-HOW ARE YOU STILL TALKING!?" Ai cried. She was unable to get an explanation however, due to Kakuzu appearing behind her and knocking her unconscious.

"And you COULDN'T have done that BEFORE the woman kicked me!?" Hidan yelled.

"Shut up," Kakuzu ordered, picking up Hidan's head by his hair.

"That hurts! Haven't I got ENOUGH abuse for this morning!? Damnit Kakuzu!" Hidan yelled.

"I said shut up," Kakuzu ordered again, setting Hidan's body against a tree, and setting his head on his neck. Within a few minutes, Hidan's head was sewn back on.

"There, much better," Hidan sighed, cracking his neck.

"If you continue doing that the stitches will break," Kakuzu spoke as he stood. "And I refuse to sew you back up again."

"Yeah yeah, shut up will you?" Hidan said annoyed as he stood as well. Kakuzu began to walk off without another word.

"Oi!" Hidan called. "What about the woman?"

"You're carrying her," Kakuzu stated.

"What?!" Hidan yelled. "Why don't you do it?"

"Because I said so. Now do it," Kakuzu ordered. Hidan scoffed, and reluctantly picked up the unconscious girl, flinging her over his shoulder.

"She's injured you fool," Kakuzu scolded. "If you carry her that way, she'll die."

"Like I care!" Hidan yelled, continuing to carry Ai the way he was. They walked that way for a good twenty-five minutes.

"Tch," Hidan scoffed, adjusting Ai so he could carry her more comfortably, which happened to be in his arms. Bridal style. Ai shifted a bit, moving so her head rested against Hidan's chest, groaning a bit.

"Well, don't you look cozy," Kakuzu chuckled at his partner.

"Kiss my ass," Hidan spat, cracking his pained shoulder.


	2. Chapter 2

The two of them continued to walk in silence for the rest of the trip, and when they finally made it to the hide-out, both of them were quite pleased.

"It's about fuckin' time!" Hidan yelled. Kakuzu stayed silent, as he formed the hand seals and opened the large 'door' of the hide-out.

"Ah, so the two of you have returned," A shark-like man spoke from his place within the cave. "Who is the girl?"

"Ai Fukanou," Kakuzu said.

"Wait! Why didn't you tell me that in the first place?" Hidan called as Kakuzu walked away, only to be answered with silence.

"Tch, bastard."

"Hidan," Kakuzu said, loud enough to be heard from where he was.

"Huh? What do you want now?" Hidan asked, glaring at his partner from a distance.

"Clean and bandage her wounds," Kakuzu ordered. "We can't have her dying as soon as we get her here." Hidan scowled.

"Why the he—" He stopped mid-sentence as Kakuzu left the premises. "…Damnit." Ai shifted a bit as she lay unconscious, murmuring quiet complaints that Hidan couldn't quite understand. Sighing heavily, he hauled the wounded girl to the odd machines that could be called 'beds'. He dropped Ai recklessly onto his 'bed', wincing as he heard an odd 'crack' as she made contact.

"Ah…stay there," He ordered, though there wasn't truly a point, since she won't be moving any time soon anyway. With that, Hidan walked off to get bandages, and if he comes across it, antiseptics.

"Nng…" Ai groaned, moving a bit, "O-ow…what?" Her eyes opened a bit and scanned the surrounding area. This isn't the forest she was in. "Where…the hell…a-am…I?" Ai made a poor attempt to sit up, failing miserably as a large jolt of pain shocked her entire body, causing her to fall back. "That hurt." Within a few, rather painful, minutes, Hidan returned, a roll of bandages held on one finger of one hand, while the others held a bottle. His other hand was occupied by a cloth.

"Fucking Kakuzu," He muttered, "Leaving this shit to me…" He continued to mutter obscenities beneath his breath, not noticing that Ai was now conscious.

"Eh?" Ai spoke, looking over at the white haired ninja as he neared her.

"Huh? Oh, so you're finally awake," Hidan said, not bothering to sound pleased in the least.

"You," Ai said sternly, pointing a slightly shaky finger at Hidan, "Where am I? I demand an answer."

"What if I refuse to answer?" Hidan asked, now standing next to Ai, dropping the bandages on the floor.

"Then…uh," Ai paused, she hadn't gotten that far yet, "I'll hit you." She tried to act as threatening as possible. Hidan snorted.

"Oh I'm so scared," His voice practically dripped with sarcasm, "I'll do whatever you like."

"Nice sarcasm buddy," Ai glared at him as she spoke, "I don't care for such things. Now answer me, damn you."

"Why should I?" Hidan smirked.

"Damnit!" Ai yelled. "Just fucking tell me!" Hidan covered his ear that was closed to Ai's mouth with one hand.

"Shut up," He sighed. "Fine, you're in the Akatsuki hide-out. Happy?"

"Not at all," Ai said, "Where the hell is said Akatsuki hide-out?"

"Like I'm going to tell you that," Hidan grabbed her leg, not bothering to be gentle with the wound. Ai hissed deeply.

"Jackass!" She yelled, "That hurt!" Hidan paid no attention to her and poured the antiseptic onto the cloth. Ai blinked, knowing what was coming. Hidan pressed the cloth to her leg, not dabbing, not wiping. He simply draped the cloth over the large wound, not giving a rat's ass about the pain it would cause Ai.

"Damn," She hissed, wincing as stinging signals radiated from her wounded leg to her brain. However she didn't bother smacking or yelling at Hidan. She didn't have the energy or tolerance for an argument, at the moment at least. "Hey," She said.

"What?" Hidan asked, a trace of annoyance in his voice.

"You're name is Hidan, right?" Ai asked.

"Wha…how do you know?" Hidan looked at her. He didn't recall telling her his name.

"The other day, I guess it was," Ai said, trying to remember exactly how long ago it was as she leaned back on her hands,

"When I was hiding in that tree, you know, before you noticed me. That partner of yours, Kakuzu right? He called you by the name Hidan. So I figured." Ai waved her hand lazily. Hidan sweatdropped a bit.

"Tch, damn Kakuzu," He muttered. Ai stared at him for a moment.

"Oh!" She said, lightly slamming her fist into her palm, "That's right." Hidan didn't bother looking at her, so he didn't notice her bring back her hand until she punched him in the head.

"GAH!" He cried, "Damnit! What the hell!?" Ai shook her hand lightly.

"It's repayment," She calmly stated.

"FOR WHAT?" Hidan shouted, glaring at her.

"You cut off the tip of my nose you jackass!" Ai said angrily as she pointed to the closed wound that replaced the tip of her nose. Hidan blinked.

"The hell!? I didn't do that!" Hidan glared at her. He most certainly did NOT cut off her nose!

"Oh really?" Ai glared, "When I was hiding on that tree branch, before you _finally_ noticed me, you raised up your scythe to sling it over your shoulder. And guess what? You cut off my fucking nose!" She yelled. Hidan returned her glare.

"Damnit," spoke a voice to their right, "You're too loud, un." Ai looked over and saw another Akatsuki member sitting up on a different 'bed'. He had long blonde hair, some of which was held up in a pony tail, that fell over his left eye. He had black lines around his visible eye. Upon closer inspection, Ai noticed his ninja headband, seeing he was from the Stone village.

"Shut up, Deidara," Hidan spat. Deidara simply glared, before noticing Ai.

"Who is she, un?" He said, putting emphasis on 'she', like it was a bad thing that she was a girl.

"I," Ai emphasized, "Am Ai Fukanou. I don't want me to be here either." She figured he wasn't too pleased with her presence, so she agreed before it was even stated. Deidara blinked as well.

"Hidan," He said, "_What_ is she doing here, un?" Hidan sighed, annoyed.

"Apparently, the Leader wants her. Beats the hell outta me why he'd want someone like he—" He was cut off mid-sentence by Ai smacking him upside the head again. "DAMNIT!"

"Shut up," She hissed, "You're the one who brought me here!" The two of them quickly resumed their glaring contest.

"Whatever," Deidara sighed as he walked passed them, "Just keep your bickering quiet, un." Ai hissed at him like a cat would, gaining odd stares by the both of them.

"What?" She asked, defensively. "I'll claw your eyes out, bitch," She hissed again, raising her hand and revealing fairly sharp finger nails. Deidara raised his hands in defense and walked away. Ai blinked, getting a glimpse at his palms, she saw two mouths.

"What the hell?"

"Eh?" Hidan said, looking between Ai and where Deidara previously stood.

"That…" Ai began, "That girl had mouths on her hands!" Hidan snickered.

"Deidara is a _he_," He laughed.

"…Huh?" Ai asked, blinking, "THAT was a GUY!?" Hidan snickered harder.

"Yeah, dumb ass,"

"Well how the HELL am I supposed to know!? That was…..He looks like more of a chick than I do!" Ai exclaimed, pointing to where Deidara had last stood.

"Oi!" Deidara yelled, coming back into sight suddenly, looking VERY pissed and grabbing Ai by the hair. "Listen, just because the Leader wants you, doesn't mean I won't shove a bomb down your throat, un! I will NOT hesitate to kill you, un!" Ai stared at him, no fear in her face at all. Hidan smirked. He wanted to see how this would unfold.

"Go ahead," Ai said, "You think I give a fuck?" Deidara blinked, he didn't expect that response. "Well? Hurry it up, I don't want that mouth on your palm to lick my scalp." Deidara glared fiercely at her, and pushed her back, making her fall off the 'bed' she sat on, and land on the ground. A loud, sickening crack echoed through the room. Ai had landed on her arm, and it bent the wrong way, snapping the bone.

"Hidan, I'm amazed you haven't hacked her up yet, un," Deidara said to the silver haired nin sitting on the floor.

"Believe me, so am I," He snickered, as Ai sat up, clutching and examining her now broken arm, muttering numerous foul words beneath her breath. Deidara walked away.

"Fuck…!" Ai muttered, "Son of a...I'm already injured, damnit." She stood, and pulled a kunai out of her pouch with her good hand.

"I'd advise against that," Hidan said, "If you want to live."

"Screw you," Ai snapped, her last nerve, which was thin to begin with, obliterated by this point. Pulling her arm back, she threw the kunai at Deidara's head. Turning around, he caught it easily.

"You don't know when to quit, do you, un?" Deidara asked, his voice almost venomous.

"Guess not," Ai spat. Deidara unzipped and reached into a pouch at his waist. "Eh? If you're going to throw a kunai, why not just throw mine that you currently have? It's a waste of time." Ai said, trying to pluck each of his nerves.

"It isn't a kunai, un," Deidara replied, bringing his hand back out and revealing a lump of clay in his palm, which was quickly eaten by the mouth. Within a few seconds, it was spat back out, in the form of a bird now. "It's ART." Deidara went to throw it, but was interrupted.

"Deidara," Said a stern voice. He stopped immediately. Ai looked over for the source of the voice. All she could see were the red-orange eyes of a shadowed figure. "You can't kill her just yet." Deidara scoffed.

"Fine, un," He said, shoving the bird back into his pouch and walking off. Hidan sighed and leaned against the side of the 'bed' and closed his eyes.

"Ai Fukanou," The shadow spoke, "If you continue that behavior, you will without a doubt get yourself killed."

"I guess," Ai said, "But it's not like a care at all. Dieing is the last thing I'm afraid of."

"Good," The shadow said, "However, in your injured state I doubt we will get much out of you. Take time to heal, then we will test your strength." With that, the shadow disappeared.

"Gee, thanks," Ai said rolling her eyes, "Oi, Hidan."  
"What do you want?" Hidan hissed.

"Geez, temperamental are we?" Ai glared, "Whatever, who was that shadowy guy? Mr. Mysterious of this cult here?"

"That was The Leader," Hidan replied, moving to face her, "Now sit; I will only stand for bandaging your wounds for so long. And if you don't hurry it up, I wont do shit for that broken arm of yours."

"You talk a lot," Ai said, doing as he said and sitting down.

"Shut the hell up," Hidan spat, grabbing Ai's broken arm.

"Ah!" Ai yelled, "I'm injured you jackass!"

"I said," Hidan began, snapping Ai's arm back into place, "Shut the hell up." Ai let out a small cry, before kicking Hidan in the stomach.

"Damnit!" Hidan coughed, holding his stomach. "Can we lose the violence!?"

"Apparently not!" Ai yelled, "Could you at least give me a warning!?"

"Can you expect a warning from an S-ranked criminal?" Hidan asked, "And you call yourself a Shinobi!"

"You were told to take care of my wounds, so I figured you'd at LEAST give me a warning!" Ai scowled.

"You two bicker like an old married couple," A Shark-like man chuckled.

"Shut the fuck up Kisame," Hidan hissed.

"Huh?" Ai said, looking over to him, "Shark?"

"Pleased to meet you too, Ai-san," Kisame said, a small vein popping out of the back of his head.

"Eh? How did you learn my name?" Ai asked, pointing an accusing finger.

"Kakuzu said your name was Ai Fukanou," Kisame stated, "Is that wrong?"

"Well…No, but still," Ai sweatdropped, lowering her finger. Kisame chuckled.

"And, Hidan-san," He said, "That isn't how you treat a lady."

"Do you think I CARE about the way to treat a 'lady'?" Hidan hissed, now bandaging Ais wounded leg.

"It seems so," Kisame chuckled. Hidan twitched, and sent a venomous glare Kisame's way.

"If you DARE get any ideas from this," He began, "I will sacrifice you to Jashin, you damned shark!"

"Yes, yes," Kisame chuckled and walked away, "No need to be so defensive..." He paused, "If you love Ai, there's no right for me to judge." With that he disappeared.

"Damnit Kisame!" Hidan shouted, "I'll fucking KILL you!" Ai stared at where Kisame had been, an unamused look on her face.

"That jackass is lucky I don't like sushi," She said, "Otherwise I'd chop him up and eat him myself."

"Damn right," Hidan sighed. Ai nodded silently, before blinking and looking down at Hidan who had returned to bandaging her leg; a bit angrily and violently this time.

"Hey," She said.

"What?" Hidan asked, irritated, glancing up at her for only a second.

"You said that you'd sacrifice that Kisame guy to…Jashin, right?"

"What of it?" Hidan said, pausing for a moment.

"Who is 'Jashin'? Some god-like deity?" Hidan stopped.

"Yes," He replied, and opened his mouth to speak again, but Ai cut him off.

"Pff," She scoffed, "God is just a load of bull. He comes in so many forms with some many different names, yet each one is just a pile of shit." Hidan twitched, a vein popping out of his head. Without saying a word, Hidan brought up his fist, and drove it down into Ai's wounded leg. She screeched.

"_You son of a__** fucking**__ bitch_!" She hissed. "What in fucking hell was that for!?" Hidan glared heatedly at her.

"Pile of shit, huh?" He asked. "I'll kill you if you say another fucking word about Jashin-sama." Ai returned his glare.

"Oh yeah?" She said. "This 'Jashin-sama' is just an illusion planted into your head by whoever the fuck made him up. No matter how much you pray or worship the bitch, he'll never be real and will never answer to anything you say or ask!"

Hidan looked like he was could sever Ai into pieces with just a look. He pulled up his Scythe which had been on the floor into his hands, ready to chop her in two.

"What are you planning on doing?" Ai asked, smirking. "Didn't your _leader_ say you can't kill me yet?" She sneered at him condescendingly. She closed her eyes for less than a second, and he was gone.

Ai looked all around the room, not seeing any trace of Hidan. She then closed her eyes, and concentrated, trying to sense his chakra. There was no trace of him at all.

"Hm," She said. "Either I'm in a genjutsu now, or he ran off. Eh, doesn't matter. He's not allowed to kill me, not that it will stop him though." After a moment, Ai looked to her injured leg, which was worse than it had been.

"I guess I need to bandage this myself now," She stated. With a sigh, she wrapped the wound, finding it difficult to do with only one arm. Once that task was done with, she looked at her broken and swollen arm.

'_It's in its right position now,_' She thought. '_But it hurts like a bitch to move it…_' Thinking for a moment, Ai picked up the bandages and wrapped from her wrist to a bit above her elbow. She then wrapped the end of the bandage around her shoulders and back to her forearm a couple times. Tying a knot, she ripped off the excess bandage with her teeth, and leaned back against the wall.

She heard footsteps echo through the cave. '_Probably Hidan,_' She thought, smirking a bit. '_Coming back to slaughter me for bad-talking his deity. Psh._'

However Ai soon discovered it wasn't Hidan's footsteps she heard.

"Eeeh? There's an injured person in Hidan-sempai's bed!" Ai's eyes snapped open, looking over to see a young boy (or so she assumed, due to the childish tone in his voice) dressed in the Akatsuki cloak, with black spiky hair and his face covered by an orange mask.

The boy skipped, yes a supposedly S-ranked missing-nin _skipped_ over to Ai's side. "Who are you?" He asked sweetly.

"I should ask that…" Ai sweatdropped.

"Tobi!" He chirped, grinning behind his mask, though Ai couldn't see it. "Now tell Tobi your name!"

"Ah…Ai Fukanou" She stated after a moment. Tobi seemed to glow.

"Are you the new member, Ai-chan?" He asked, nearly squealing.

"I guess, I was sorta forced here by that bastard Hidan and that leader dude said that 'we' will test my strength," Ai sighed. Tobi grinned widely, though Ai still couldn't see it.

"Will Ai-chan be Tobi's partner?" He asked.

"I don't know," Ai said sweatdropping again. "Hey, you seem nicer than the other member's I've…'met'. This isn't some type of trap is it?"

"No!" Tobi exclaimed. "Tobi is a good boy! Tobi wouldn't pull a trap on Ai-chan!" Ai couldn't help by snicker.

"Okay then," She said.

"Tobi," Came a calm voice. "Don't bother Ai-san."

"Aw, but Tobi wasn't bothering Ai-chan, Sasori-sempai!" Tobi whined. Ai frowned. How many members of this organization _were_ there?! All these people who already knew her name were starting to piss her off!

"Leave her be," The man named Sasori, who Ai saw had red hair, said. "Go bother Deidara." Tobi jumped up and scurried off.

"Deidara-sempai!" He called as he turned the corner.

"Deidara…" Ai muttered, unhappily recalling the blonde man who broke her arm. "That bastard!" Sasori looked at her, vaguely interested.

"So you've met Deidara," He said, with a slightly curious tone.

"Yeah. That fucking bastard broke my arm!" Ai shouted. Sasori let out an agitated sigh.

"I see," He said. "At any rate, it would be best if you got some rest." Ai quirked an eyebrow, but nodded nonetheless.

"Yeah…" She said. Sasori walked away, and Ai lay back on the odd machine that she considered a 'bed'. Closing her eyes, she slowly fell asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

"Oi, bitch," Said an annoyed Hidan. "Get the fuck up." Ai frowned, being woken up by the religious potty-mouth.

"Screw off," She murmured.

"Damnit woman, get the fuck off my bed before a break another one of your limbs!" Hidan began to raise his voice.

"Do you have any clue as to how tired I am from all the shit I've been through the past few hours?"

"No, and I don't particularly care. Now," Hidan pushed Ai off his bed. "Get the fuck off!" With Ai on the floor, he plopped onto his now free bed, and lied down closing his eyes.

Ai glared at the ground, before, ignoring the pain in her arm that she had landed on, propping herself up and staring at Hidan as a strange mechanical cover slid over his head. She blinked once as the cover clicked into place, twice as she saw Hidan relax and his breathing become slow and even, and a third time for the sake of it.

What the _hell_ is that thing?

Deciding not to bother with that, she climbed onto the 'bed' next to Hidan's and closed her eyes, trying to fall asleep again.

It was completely silent for while, and Ai was just about to drift into her slumber...

"Ai-chan, why are you sleeping in Tobi's bed?" Ai jumped a bit in surprise at the young ninja's voice ringing right beside her ear.

"T-Tobi!" She exclaimed in surprise, though she quickly calmed down. "Oh...because Hidan knocked me off of his, and I'm extremely tired..."

"Oh, okay," Tobi spoke. "But you aren't using it right."

"Yeah, but i prefer a natural way of sleeping. This metal thing doesn't seem all to _natural_"

"But, Ai-chan, it's better that wa--"

"Tobi," Ai said, sternly. "Ai-chan is _very_ tired. So could Tobi please let her sleep?"

"Ah, okay, Tobi will ask Deidara-sempai if he can share his bed. Tobi will be very quiet!" Ai heard him stand and begin to scurry off, surprisingly being almost completely silent as he did so--

"DEIDARA-SEMPAI! CAN TOBI SLEEP WITH YOU?"

"NO! SLEEP IN YOUR OWN BED, UN!"

"But Ai-chan is sleeping there!"

"Who gives a shit about her!? Kick her off, un!"

"But that's mean! Tobi is a good boy!"

"Damnit Tobi, un!!"

...Never mind.

Ai sat up and pushed a button on the side of the bed mechanism, and as she laid back down, the metal cover slid over her head. Maybe an unnatural sleep wouldn't be _so_ bad.

An odd whirring sound resonated through Ai's eardrums, pulling her out of her sleep and causing her to frown.

"Get up, un," Ai frowned more as she recognized the stern voice of a certain blonde.

"No," She said and rolled over.

"I'm not going to ask a third time, un. **Get up**." Deidara hissed.

"Screw off,"

Deidara grabbed Ai's shirt and yanked her off the bed, dropping her onto the floor.

"Damnit, what is with you people and dropping me on the floor!?" Ai said angrily.

"Shut up, un. You've had **more** than enough time to sleep. The Leader wants to talk to you, so I suggest you get moving, un."

"Eh?" Ai looked up at him. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Two weeks, un."

"Seriously?" Ai said, surprised.

"Yes," Deidara replied, bored. "You're wounds should be healed by now, un." Ai looked at her broken arm and began to unwrap the bandages on it.

"Huh," She said, looking at her fully healed arm as she waved it around. "Would ya look at that." Deidara gave a light 'hmph.' Ai looked at her leg, and took off the bandages on it too. She ran her eyes over the scar painted on her skin, before standing and hopping on the once injured leg.

"This is better too," She said. "Great, back in action then!" Deidara couldn't help but smirk. Ai looked at him, smirking herself.

"Now then, where is this Leader?"

"Ai Fukanou," The shadow-y figure said, staring at Ai with unblinking orange eyes. "Now that your wounds have healed, are you prepared to show us what you are capable of?"

"Might as well be," Ai replied, shrugging as she cracked her neck. "I gotta fight someone, right?"

"Correct," Leader replied. Ai nodded.

"Who's it gonna be?" She asked.

"I have an opponent chosen already; you will find who he is soon."

"Helpful…" The leader gave Ai a signal that said she could leave, and she quickly did so. She turned a corner and came face-to-face with the bomb-happy blonde; Deidara.

"Why, hello there, Blondie-san," Ai taunted. Deidara glared at her, before smirking.

"Ah, this will be fun, un," He said. Ai quirked an eyebrow.

"What will be fun?" She questioned. "You're not going to rape me are you?" Deidara gave her a 'What-the-_fuck_-are-you-thinking?' look.

"No, un," He stated. "The fact I am your opponent." Ai smirked.

"Great," She said. "But there's one problem, I've always been told to not fight with other girls." A vein popped out of Deidara's forehead.

"Little bitch, un…" He muttered, before turning around and walking off.

"Running away?" Ai asked, following him. "Pansy." Deidara was _greatly_ resisting the urge to blow her up right then and there.

"I'm leading the way to the training room," He hissed. "But, of course, you're free to run if you're afraid, un."

"Like I'd run from _you_, girly-man," Ai spat back.

The two entered the training area, where the other members of the Akatsuki were waiting. Ai scanned her eyes over the others, seeing a few familiar faces, as well as the faces of those she had yet to meet. One man in particular caught her eye, however. Long black hair tied back in a low ponytail, with red eyes. Part of the Uchiha clan.

"_He looks like a pussy,_" She thought, resisting the urge to laugh at the feminine looking ninja.

"What are you waiting for?" Called Deidara, who now stood at the end of the room. "Hurry it up, un!"

"Shut it, blondie!" Ai yelled, taking her place. She figured some proctor would start the fight, but without as much as a "go!" Deidara threw a clay bird in the air, and after making a few hand signs, it grew three times its size. Ai stared at it.

"A _bird_?" She laughed. Deidara smirked, and formed another hand sign.

"_Katsu_," He said, and the bird exploded. Ai managed to dodge it with a minor injury on her side.

"FUCK!" She cried. "That thing fucking _explodes_!?" She stopped, feeling something on her shoulder. Looking over, she saw a small clay spider on her shoulder. It jumped on her face, and once again, Ai heard Deidara say 'katsu'.

"SHIT!!" She cried, making a poor attempt at pulling off the clay insect. She managed to get it off her face and in her hands.

"H-Hyouketsu!" She shouted quickly, gathering as much chakra as she could in her hands, and freezing the bomb, just before it exploded.

"What, un?" Deidara hissed, making the hand signs again. "Katsu!" Ai threw the ice covered bomb away just as it exploded.

"Well shit," She frowned. "That didn't work as well as I hoped." She made numerous hand signs of her own, and disappeared, reappearing behind Deidara. She made more hand signs, and grabbed the back of his neck. She leaned up to him.

"Hyouketsu," She said in his ear, and Deidara just barely managed to rip himself out of her grip, only getting part of his hair and cloak frozen. He frowned. Ai laughed.

"Nice move," She said. "I thought I got you there, ah well." She pulled out two kunai's out of her pouch, and ran at him, becoming right in front of him in seconds. Deidara took a step back, caught off guard. Ai smiled suddenly, dropping her kunai, and cupping his cheeks. Deidara stopped moving completely, utterly shocked.

Ai smiled at him, and brought her lips to his.

"Da fuck?!" Yelled an angry and confused Hidan from the sidelines. Ai smirked against Deidara's lips, and brought her hands to his shoulders, slowly sliding them down his arms.

"Hyouketsu…" She whispered, and the blood in Deidara's arms began to freeze. He jumped away.

"Bitch, un!" He cried, looking down at his immobilized and frozen arms. Ai laughed.

"Ya know, you're an awful kisser," She taunted, wiping her mouth with her arm. "Looks like I've almost won here." She disappeared and reappeared behind Deidara again, and put her hand on his back.

"Hyouketsu," She said again, freezing the blood within Deidara's body. She smirked as she pushed his back harder, freezing his spinal column. Deidara was now unable to move, and lucky to still be conscious.

"Kai," She said, pulling her hand away. The freezing stopped, but didn't disperse. She walked around him, and poked his chest.

"Can't move, can ya?" She asked, smirking. "I guess that means I've won."

"Yes," Spoke the Leader. "Ai Fukanou has won." Ai smiled at the blonde artist before her.

"Sweet," She said, walking away. "Should I unfreeze him?"

"It would be a problem if he were to die," The Leader said. "Please do." Ai nodded, and made more hand signs.

"Kai," She said again, and the ice within Deidara's body thawed, leaving him very numb. He fell to his knees and gasped a bit. "The numb feeling will go away in an hour or two." She looked to the shadowed figure of the Leader.

"So, does this mean that I'm part of this 'Akatsuki' now?" She asked.

"It does."

"Alright then, do I get a fancy cloak too?"

"Yes."

"Sweet"

"Deidara, can you stand?" Ai heard Sasori say.

"I can't feel anything…" The blonde man paused, glaring heatedly at Ai. "But I think I can manage, Sasori-danna." Deidara went to stand, and winced at the pins-and-needles feeling radiating throughout his body. He swayed slightly, and Sasori steadied him. The two, as well as most of the other Akatsuki members left the room, and Ai stood silently, not sure what to do.

"Ai Fukanou," The Leader said again. Ai turned to look at him. "The attitude you have shown so far will certainly get you killed if you continue that way."

"You have a point there," Ai chuckled.

"I would advise you don't taunt Hidan as much as you have been, as well," The leader stated.

"I don't need to…_apologize_ to him, do I?"

"Not necessarily. But if the two of you were to become partners for one reason or another, the grounds you are on now will no doubt cause problems."

"So, basically you're saying I should get along with him, if only slightly?"

"Exactly." Ai sighed heavily.

"I get it. Fine," With that, Ai turned to leave.

"Wait a moment," Ai looked over her shoulder, and barely caught the article of clothing that was thrown at her. "That is your uniform." Ai looked up, only to see that the leader was no longer in front of her.

"Gee, thanks," She said, and looked down at the black cloak. She slipped it over her shoulders, and clasped one of the buttons closed.

"Nice," She stated. A light '_clink_' caught Ai's attention, and looking to the floor, she saw a ring. She picked it up and examined it, seeing the symbol for 'god' on it. "I assume this is mine?" She slipped the ring on her finger and put her and out, staring at it.

"Hm…god…how ironic…" Ai frowned. "Fuck…Oh right, Hidan." Ai turned on her heel, and hesitantly went to look for the silver haired religious freak.


	4. Chapter 4

After getting lost about seven times, and destroying every ounce of patience she had, Ai finally found Hidan. He stood inside a circle, identical to the pendant on the necklace he wore, with a stake in his hand.

"Oi, Hidan," Ai said, making sure to force all her agitation down for the moment. The man looked at her, surprise barely visible on his face.

"What do you want?" He asked. Ai stood beside him, standing in the circle he was in.

"Hida—"

"Out of the circle," He interrupted her, making shooing motions. Ai frowned and move out of the circle on the ground.

"There. Now…" She paused, apologizing wasn't her strong suit. She played the words '_You aren't apologizing. Just signing a temporary truce._' in her head again and again.

"'Now' what?" Hidan asked, impatient. Ai twitched.

"I was going to say…That since I'm now part of the Akatsuki, I figure I should get long with the members. So yeah." Hidan gave her a 'What-in-the-fuck' look.

"Don't look at me like that. What I'm _saying_ is that if we're going to kill each other, it might as well be because of something that happened when I was actually a member in this organization. So, yeah, uh…forget about me mocking your religion. Alright?" She put out her hand to him. He looked at her hand, then to her, before looking forward, and stabbing the stake he held through his chest.

"WHAT THE FUCK!?" Ai shouted, flinching back as Hidan's blood splurted over her cloak and face. "What the fucking hell is _wrong_ with you!?" Hidan fell to the ground, his blood splattering all around him. Ai twitched violently, staring at the bloodied corpse on the floor in front of her. Out of the corner of her eye, Ai saw Kisame.

"Hey! You! Fish-face!" She called, a bit frantically.

"My name is _Kisame_, Ai-san," 'Fish-face' replied, not noticing Hidan's dead body on the floor. He continued walking in her general direction.

"Yeah! Sure! Kisame! Hidan just--!" As if on queue, Kisame stepped in Hidan's blood. He looked down and frowned.

"Ugh, disgusting," He sighed, stepping back and scraping the red liquid off of his sandal.

"Wha—Kisame, is this a normal occurrence here?" Ai asked sweatdropping.

"Hm?"

"Hidan, does he kill himself often?"

"Oh, that's just a ritual he performs every so often."

"…Ritual?"

"Yes, for his religion." Ai frowned. What the fuck kind of religion made you stab yourself through the chest plate?

"Don't worry about it, Ai-san," Kisame said, looking down at his slightly blood stained sandal. "Hidan-san is immortal, so this ritual won't kill him." Ai blinked.

"He's...immortal? Huh," She looked down at him. "Hidan," She said. The 'corpse' opened its eye, and looked at her, irritated.

"What?" He asked.

"You're a fucking idiot,"

Hidan frowned as Ai began to laugh, but decided he'd sacrifice her once his ritual was finished.

After Ai had recovered from her laughing fit, during which Kisame had walked off, she plopped down outside of the ritual circle, making sure to not sit in the blood.

"Hidan, you never said whether you agree or not," She said.

"What?" Hidan asked, not opening his eyes.

"Before you stabbed yourself…" Ai sweatdropped at the memory. "I was talking to you, and you ignored my statement. Were you listening or do I have to repeat it all?" Hidan was silent for the moment.

"I was listening," He stated. "But showing my faith in Jashin-sama is more important." Ai sighed.

"Right," She said, resisting the urge to down his 'god' like she had done before. Hidan sat up, and pulled the stake form his chest easily, setting it down beside him. Ai looked at him.

"Are you _going_ to answer me?" She asked. Hidan looked at her.

"Yeah, sure," He said.

"Was that your answer or you're reply to what I just asked?"

"My answer."

"Alright then," Ai glanced at the pendant around his neck, before smiling. She leaned forward a bit, looking closer at the pendant. "So this is your religious symbol?"

Hidan twitched at the sudden close proximity. "Yeah…" He said. Ai glanced up at him, before pulling it off his neck and running off.

"H-hey!" Hidan yelled, before getting up and running after her. "Give that the fuck back!" Ai turned around and ran backwards. She stuck her tongue out and laughed, before hitting a wall.

"Ow!" She yelped. Hidan quickly grabbed her wrist, and went to grab his pendant back. Ai grabbed his hand that wasn't holding her wrist, and pushed it back. She laughed again.

"What the hell?" Hidan said, pushing her hand back as well, so they were both exerting all the force they could at each others hands.

"I just felt like messing with you!" Ai grinned.

"You bitch," Hidan smirked, and let go of her wrist, pulling the pendant from her grasp and putting it back around his neck.

"Aww," Ai whined. "Such a hardass."

"Shut the fuck up," Hidan replied. Ai puckered her lips in a pouting fashion, and Hidan quirked an eyebrow. He then remembered the fight she and Deidara had, when she had kissed him.

"By the way," Hidan began.

"Eh?"

"…Nothing. Nevermind," Hidan looked away, fixing his dishelved hair and cloak.

"No, what were you going to say?"

"Forget it, would you?"

"I won't."

"You're an annoying woman."

"True. Don't try to change the subject." A vein popped out of Hidan's head.

"Fine," He murmured. "When you were fighting with Deidara earlier, what was with that attack you used?"

"Which attack? When I froze his bloodstream? 'Cause that is my—"

"No, you dumbass. When you kissed him. Why did you do that?"

"Oh _that_. I only did that to catch him off guard. Why, you jealous?"

"Of course not, dipshit," Hidan spat, and Ai swore she could see a slight blush.

"Oh-ho, is Hidan blushing?" She poked him.

"What the fuck!? Get off me!"

"Methinks Hidan is jealous 'cause he doesn't get a kiss!"

"What the fucking hell is _wrong_ with you!? Why the fuck would I be jealous!?" He slapped her hand away and stomped off. Ai blinked.

"Tch, no need to be so vaginaman-ish," She shrugged and began to walk away, before she realized something.

"I don't have a bed yet, do I?" Ai set off to find the Leader, or at least someone else she could mess with.

"Leader" She called, not knowing what else to call him. "Where'd you go?"

"What are you yelling for, un?" Ai looked to her side, seeing Deidara.

"Oh, hello there," She gave a wave. "I'm yelling 'cause I need a bed."

"I see…" He paused. "There aren't enough for you to have one of your own…" Ai caught on quickly.

"So I have to share one with one of the freaks here? Ho'geez," Ai sighed. Deidara smirked in return.

"You're free to share mine," He said slyly. Ai quirked an eyebrow. Didn't he hate her?

"Uh, sure?" Deidara walked past her, and she followed. The two walked in silence. Ai eyed Deidara suspiciously.

"_He better not try and rape me…_" She thought. The mechanical beds came into view, and Deidara headed towards his. Ai could just barely see a smirk on his face as he sat down. She frowned.

"What are you smirking about, Deidara?" Ai looked behind her, seeing Hidan.

"What is with you two always showing up spontaneously around me?!" Ai frowned deeper. The two ignored her.

"Ai-san is sharing my bed, un," Deidara stated.

"What?" Hidan said, trying not to shout. "What the hell?"

"What are you so pissed about? It's not like I'm going to let him molest me or anything," Ai sighed. "Damn men…"

"What's with your attitude all of a sudden!? The only reason I even slightly care is because Deidara is a fucking tranny! And he'll definitely try to fucking rape you while your asleep!"

"Shut the fuck up, Hidan, un," Deidara hissed. "Ai-san said herself she wanted to sleep with me—"

"I said no such thing!!" Ai yelled. "Fucking rapist!"

"That's what I told you!" Hidan yelled also.

"Hidan! Kick his ass!" Ai shouted.

"Huh?" Hidan looked at her confused.

"You're immortal! You can do it! You didn't want him to rape me right? So kick his ass!"

"I never said I didn't want him to rape you…!"

"What the fuck!?"

"What the fuck are you two screaming about?" The two looked over to see an irritated Kakuzu.

"They want to rape me!" Ai yelled.

"WHAT!?" Both Hidan and Deidara yelled, though Deidara added an 'un' at the end.

"I _never_ said I wanted to do _anything_ whatsoever to you besides kill you!"

"And I never said I wanted to rape you, un!"

"You both know you were thinking it!" Kakuzu turned around and walked away.

"Hey! Don't leave me with these rapists!"

"I'm not a rapist!!" Ai ran after Kakuzu; however he disappeared in a puff of smoke before she could.

"Damn," She continued to run, not risking getting raped by the religious freak or the girly-man. She bumped into something black and orange, and stumbled back.

"Ow" Whined Tobi, who was now on the ground.

"Tobi!" Ai said.

"Eh? Ai-chan, why were you running?"

"Tobi, can I share your bed? Please? Just until I get my own?"

"Okay! Ai-chan can sleep with Tobi! Tobi is a good boy!"

"Yes, Tobi is a very good boy!" Ai grinned as Tobi jumped up and down.

"Yay! Tobi is a good boy!"

Unfortunately for Ai, the beds were not meant for two people. Throughout the night, Ai ended up rolling over to face Tobi. She shifted slightly, and her arm ended up draping over him, and Tobi, like a child, clung to her.

"What the fuck is _this_ now?!" Ai woke to the yelling of an unhappy Hidan.

"Me sleeping," Ai replied groggily. A vein popped out of Hidan's head.

"That's not what it looks like from here!" Ai opened one eye, and saw an orange mask right in front of her.

"Why is Tobi so close to me?" She murmured, realizing he was clinging to her. "Aww."

"'Aww' my ass!" Hidan yelled. "You call _me_ a rapist and then sleep like _that_ with Tobi?! The fuck!?"

"I didn't choose to fall asleep like this. When I fell asleep I was facing the opposite way."

"Sure you fucking were."

"Fuck off, asshole."

"Ai-chan…those are bad words…" Ai looked over to the barely awake Tobi.

"Sorry 'bout that." Hidan 'tch'd and walked away.

"Why is Hidan-sempai mad?"

"Cause he's an assfuck," Ai replied.

"Ai-chan those are bad words"

"Right, sorry."


	5. Chapter 5

Later on, when Ai had fully awoken, she decided to wander around the base. She didn't care if she got lost, she'd manage to find her way back eventually.

As she walked, Ai noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Something…green. She looked to her left, and there she saw…a Venus flytrap?

"What the hell?" She muttered. The plant looked her way, and she twitched. "O-oh…hi there…Mr…Flytrap-sama…." Ai laughed sheepishly.

"This is the new member, isn't it?"

"**What did she just call us?**" Ai quirked an eyebrow. Was that flytrap…talking to itself?

"Uh, sorry, I haven't….met you before…I didn't know what else…to say?" Ai sweatdropped.

"My name is Zetsu," It said. Ai noticed the fact that this voice was a bit higher and softer than it had been. Taking a closer look, Ai also saw that the Flytrap had a body inside it…a body that was half black and half white.

"Uh, Ai Fukanou…nice to meet you…" At this point, she had no clue how the hell she was going to survive in this organization. "I have to, uh…go…see ya…" Ai quickly walked away from the living plant. She could hear it say something rude after her, and then heard it scold itself for saying it.

"_What the hell is _wrong_ with this place?!_"

After a while of walking, Ai assumed she was far enough away from the flytrap and everyone else, and plopped down.

"Good god, this is one hell of a fucking freak show…" She muttered. She looked to the side, hearing someone talking. She stood and followed the voice, her curiosity getting the best of her even though she knew she was pretty damn close to being a cat.

She soon recognized the voice as Hidans. As she listened, she heard numerous mentions of Jashin, and she soon realized he was praying. She stopped once he came into view, but had enough manners not to listen in on what he was saying.

"_Odd way to pray,_" Ai thought, seeing him kiss the pendant on his neck. "_Not how my parents used to at least…_" Hidan dropped the pendant, letting it fall back in place.

"Yo," Ai said, waving a bit. Hidan looked at her, not seeming too pleased.

"What is it with you and fucking following me?" He asked.

"I wasn't _following_ you; I just heard you praying and decided to come over to you. Jeez, no need to be so pissy." Hidan heaved a heavy sigh.

"What do you want?"

"Nothing."

"Then leave."

"I don't wanna."

"Fucking annoyance."

"Yep." Ai plopped down next to him, sighing slightly.

"What do you _want_?" Hidan asked angrily.

"No need to bed so hostile. Can't a lady sit down next to someone without being yelled at?"

"Who's a lady?"

"Shut up, you douchebag."

Silence hung in the air for a few minutes.

"Hey,"

"_What_?"

"What's your religion?"

"Wha…Jashin, didn't I already tell you this?"

"I thought Jashin was your lord?"

"Yes, but the religion itself shares the same name." Ai blinked.

"Okay." She said. "It seems like a pretty odd religion." Hidan opened his mouth to yell at her, but she cut him off.

"I'm not mocking it, idiot. I'm stating my mind."

"Who said I wanted you to?"

"No one, but I don't necessarily care whether you do or not."

"Tch…"

More silence. Ai heaved a sigh as she looked down at the ring on her finger.

"What's with that?" Hidan noticed her sudden depression.

"Huh?" Ai looked over at him.

"You're all depressed all of a sudden."

"I'm not depressed…" Ai retorted.

"Fuckin' liar," Hidan said. Ai glared at him.

"And why do you care?" She asked. Hidan twitched.

"I try to play to nice guy for once and you have to be all bitchy about it? Fine, if you want to be fucking depressed and keep it to your fucking self, go right a-fucking-head!" He shouted angrily. Ai twitched also.

"No need to be so pissy! _Fine_ then! If you want to know _so_ fucking badly!" She sighed slightly. "The fact this ring has the symbol for god on it makes me think of my parents. There, happy?" Hidan quirked an eyebrow.

"Getting depressed over your parents?" He scoffed. "Tch"

"Fucking bastard," Ai smacked him upside the head. "I said I'm _not_ depressed. But I'm not particularly fond of religion since it was the cause for my parents' deaths. So fucking sue me." Hidan gave her a look.

"**What!?**" Ai shouted, blushing ever so slightly. "Must I tell you my life story now!?"

"Stop fucking yelling!" Hidan shouted in reply.

"Who's yelling now?!"

"Augh! You're so fucking annoying!" The two of them huffed and faced opposite ways, like children. Ai sighed again, quietly. She really hoped she and Hidan would never become partners…they'd _slaughter_ each other.

"Seriously though, Hidan…" She spoke after a moment. "If you want to know, I'll tell you." Hidan looked at her in a 'what-the-fuck' manner. Ai continued anyway.

"See, when I was younger, my parents and I followed this certain religion. And everyone in our village despised up for it. After I graduated from the ninja academy, I don't remember what age I was; the people of my village…killed my father."

"What the fuck?" Hidan interrupted.

"Exactly. But don't interrupt me," Ai replied. "Anyway, they burned him at the stake, like he was a witch or something. My mother kept me from seeing, but I heard him yelling at everyone about going to hell for being godless heathens or something. I don't know…" She sighed, pausing. Hidan felt awkward not saying anything, but he wasn't exactly the 'comforting' type. More like the 'get the fuck over it' type.

"And after that, my mother and I wouldn't leave the house," Ai continued. "But after she thought it died down, my mother was foolish enough to leave. They nailed her to a cross. I saw that disgusting fucking sight before I ran off. After that I wandered around god knows where for several years, then ended up returning and slaughtering everyone. Hence why I'm now an S-ranked criminal." Ai finished with a sigh, shrugging her shoulders. Hidan gave an agitated groan.

"Pisses you off doesn't it?" Ai laughed. "You understand why I hate religion and everything related to it now?"

"Yeah, I guess," He offered, looking down at the pendant around his neck.

"I'm not telling you to hate religion, keep in mind," Ai said. "You're free to worship your 'Jashin' or whatever. But don't complain if I mess with you about it."

"I'll fucking _kill_ you if you do," Hidan warned. Ai laughed at that.

"Right, of course," She didn't know why she was laughing, but she couldn't help it.

"Why the fuck are you laughing?"

"I don't know…"

"Weird fucking woman."

"Shut up…" Ai slowly stopped laughing, and wiped the tears from her eyes. She looked over, seeing Hidan giving her a 'you're-an-idiot' smirk. "Fuck you." She grinned.

"You're fucking retarded," Hidan said.

"And you aren't?"

"Shut the fuck up," Ai laughed again.

"You're so fun to mess with, Hidan," She chuckled. Hidan gave her a look. "Don't look at me that way."

"Right," He said. Ai suddenly jumped up, surprising him.

"Augh! What do you Akatsuki do for _fun_ around here!?" She shouted. "It's so _boring_!" Hidan quirked an eyebrow.

"Not like that you perverted bastard," Ai scolded. "Where _is_ your mind?"

"Wh-wha…Don't accuse me of shit like that!" Hidan retorted, blushing slightly.

"Then don't think it!"

"I wasn't!"

"Sure you weren't." Hidan glared at her, and she glared back. Suddenly, Ai got an idea. She pulled a Kunai out of her weapons pouch, and drove it into the back of Hidan's neck.

"**FUCKING HELL**!" He screamed. "What the _**fuck**_ was that for!?"

"Huh, so you really _are_ immortal," She stated, pulling the kunai out of neck. Hidan glared at her.

"You stab me in the back of the neck just to see if I'm immortal!? What the fuck is _wrong_ with you!?" He put his hand over the wound. Ai grinned at him.

"You're a man aren't you? You can handle it," She said, gaining another venomous glare from Hidan.

"Shut the fuck up," He hissed. Ai's grin turned into a smirk.

"Make me," She taunted, turning on her heel and beginning to walk away. Hidan scowled, and leapt up at her. He grabbed her arm and spun her around forcefully, pushing her against a nearby wall.

"Rape," Ai stated, wide-eyed.

"Shut the fuck up!" Hidan shouted for the fifth time. "I'll kill you!"

"Go right ahead," Ai said. "If you want to so badly." Hidan scowled again.

"Why do you have to be so fucking annoying?" He asked, his voice slightly lower than it was.

"Because that's how I am," Ai replied. "Look, if you want to kill me, go ahead. I'm sure the worst thing this organization could do to you would be kick you out. So do whatever the fuck you want." Hidan narrowed his eyes, and shoved Ai away, walking off.

Ai watched him as he left. When he was out of sight, she sighed. "I really need to learn to keep my mouth shut," She said to herself, brushing some of her hair from her face. She stood straight, and stopped, realizing something.

"I still have nothing to fucking do!" She complained. Aggravated and bored, Ai walked off, making sure to go the opposite direction that Hidan went.

"I don't understand how these people survive. Though the majority of them seem like freaks…eh, I guess they get along well enough." Ai bumped into someone, and took a few steps back.

"Ah, sorry 'bout tha-…" She began, looking up, she saw a man with long black hair. "Oh, hello Uchiha." She spoke, not all that pleased to meet him. Without so much as a glance, the Uchiha kept walking. Ai scoffed.

"Fuck you too," She said and walked off. "Jackass." She could feel him glare at her as she left, but didn't really give a rat's ass.

"One of the vaguely normal ones is a bitch, figures…" She muttered. "I think that one's name is Itachi? That's the older one I know that much…that entire clan looked sorta gay though…eh, no point in trying to figure out which is which."

"Yes, that's Itachi-san, un," Ai snapped her head to the side, seeing Deidara.

"How nice of you to listen in on my talking to myself," She stated sarcastically.

"You were speaking out loud, it isn't my fault you were speaking loud enough for me to hear, un," The bomb-happy man replied.

"Tch," Ai scoffed. "So, what do you want?"

"Nothing, un," Deidara said, a slight smirk on his face. "But since you're here…" He took a step towards her.

"If you so much as _touch_ me," Ai said as he came closer. "I'll fucking slaughter you. I've kicked your ass once before remember." Deidara frowned.

"_You_ came onto _me_, un," He said matter-o'-factly. "Remember?"

"I did no such thing," Ai retorted. "I did that to catch you off guard; you were just stupid enough to fall for it."

"Though I bet you enjoyed it, un," Deidara said, still continuing to move in closer to her.

She snickered, "Like hell I did!" she yelled. "I enjoyed kicking you ass more than I did anything els-" Ai was cut off mid sentence by Deidara planting a rough kiss on her lips.

"Mrmph!" She let out a muffled yell, before pulling away and kicking Deidara hard in the stomach. "Rapist!" She yelled. Deidara stumbled back and held his stomach.

"What was that for, un?" He coughed.

"What the fuck do you think it was for!?" Ai shouted. She spun around and kicked him in the side of the head, sending him skidding a few meters and stopping at Sasori's feet.

"Shit…" Ai sweatdropped, thinking she was going to be slaughtered.

"Deidara," Sasori said. "Get up, we have a mission." Deidara groaned.

"Fine…Sasori-danna," He managed, forcing himself up. Ai turned and walked away, relieved that Sasori didn't care.

"Don't start fights with the new member any more, also," She heard Sasori say.

"I di--…fine," Ai snickered at Deidara's defeated tone. As she walked, Ai tried to think of something to occupy herself until she was given a partner or sent out on a mission.

She had teased Hidan enough, and she was sure if she did again he'd kill her. Deidara was going out on an assignment. She didn't want to tease Kisame, he might eat her. Itachi was too much of a hardass as far as she could tell, and he'd go all 'I'm pmsing, fuck off' if she tried messing with him. Zetsu might eat her also. Kakuzu had disappeared to god knows where. Sasori was leaving with Deidara. She was smarter than to mess with the Leader. And Tobi…

"Tobi!" Ai spoke, and set off to find the mask wearing boy. And as if on queue, the masked ninja pranced into view. "Tobi!" Ai called.

"Ah! Ai-chan!" He cheered, skipping over to her. "What is it?"

"I'm bored," She stated. "Entertain me"

"Okay, um…" Tobi paused. "Does Ai-chan want to play Hide and Seek?" Ai sweatdropped. _How could this child be an s-ranked fucking criminal?_

"Uh, sure, okay…" She said. Tobi jumped happily.

"Tobi will count okay?" He squeaked.

"Alright," Ai began to walk off as Tobi closed his eyes and began to count.

"One! Two! Three! Are you hiding Ai-chan?"

"Yes, I'm hiding!" She scurried behind a rock and crouched down. "There's hardly anything here, where _am_ I supposed to hide?" She muttered to herself.

"Seven! Eight! Nine!" Ai sighed, scrunching herself as far down as she could, and began to think.

Why has she been brought into this organization? The Leader had wanted her, from what she could tell, but why? Sure, she was an S-ranked criminal, but so what? There were plenty of other fucking criminals. She sighed again.

"Tobi found you!" The yell of the orange-masked boy startled Ai, and she fell over. "Ah! Ai-chan, are you alright?"

"Yeah, fine," Ai said. "Okay, now you hide Tobi."

"Okay!" The boy scampered off. She sighed; humoring this kid would prove annoying after a while.

"One, Two, Three, Four…" Ai counted.

"What are you doing?" She jumped, hearing Hidan's voice right next to her.

"Ah! Hidan!" She said. "Don't sneak up on me, damnit. I'm playing Hide and Seek with Tobi."

"What the fuck are you? Five?" Hidan asked.

"Shut it. There isn't anything better to do here. Since I don't have a partner yet and am not being sent on any missions, I'm fucking bored!" She threw her arms in the air in agitation.

"Deidara and Sasori just left to go get your fucking partner," Hidan stated.

"Eh?" Ai looked at him. "Really? Who?"

"I don't fucking know!" He retorted.

"Fine!" Ai shouted. "No need to be so bitch—"

"Ai-chan" Tobi called from wherever he was hiding. "Are you done counting yet?"

"Oh, uh, yeah, hold on!" Ai called back. "Hidan, kindly screw off for the moment." She turned around and wandered off, looking for the spiky haired ninja. Hidan twitched, muttering numerous foul words beneath his breath.

Ai's eyes scanned the room. There was hardly anything to hide behind in the base. It couldn't be _that_ hard to find Tobi.

But she couldn't.

"Ugh," She sighed. "Tobi! I can't find you, come out now!" She jumped back as said Orange masked ninja fell from above her and landed at her feet.

"Tobi wins!" He cheered.

"Wha—you were on the _ceiling_?" Ai said sweatdropping.

"Yep!" Ai sighed; this kid was smarter than she thought.

"Alright, Tobi. You win," She said. Tobi jumped up and down and ran off to god knows where. "…He has way too much energy…" Ai sighed. She sat on the ground, for lack of anything better to do, and flinched as something poked her side.

"Ow! What the…" She reached into her kunai pouch, and pulled out her headband. "Huh, I forgot you were in here…" Ai blinked, she technically wasn't a member of her village anymore, but she couldn't get rid of the headband.

Out of nowhere, an image flashed through her mind. An image of Hidan. She scoffed at that.

"Oh…" She now remembered when she had tried too see what village he was from; she noticed a slash through the village symbol. At the time, she didn't think much of it, but thinking back, she noticed the others' headbands were slashed as well.

"Mine too I guess?" She muttered out loud, and pulled out a kunai, carving a deep slash through the Yukigakure symbol. "There. To hell with that fucking village." She tied the headband around her waist, and stood.

"Now, something else to occupy me with…" Ai wandered aimlessly through the base, her mental map not completely finished yet, and eventually came to the bedroom, if that's what it could be called.

"Sleep! That'll work," She walked to the end of the 'room' and saw a 'bed' that wasn't there before with the symbol for 'god' on the front. "Mine I guess?" She plopped down on it, and pushed the button on the side, allowing the machine to send her into an uninterrupted sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

The mechanic whirring of the top of the machine opening echoed through Ai's mind, but she simply incorporated it into the dream that began in her mind. A dream of the Akatsuki members being stuck in the ground, or being a bird…or a tree.

In any case, after an undetermined amount of time, Ai woke up.

"We're back, un," Deidara called as the large stone 'door' of the base opened. Ai sat up and looked at the two who returned. She saw that Sasori was carrying a girl with long green hair and a ninja headband with the symbol of Hoshigakure on it. Ai waved at them.

"Yo, who's the girl?" She asked standing and walking towards them.

"She's Miya Kyuuzou, un," Deidara said.

"Is she my partner, Sasori-san?" Ai ignored Deidara, and looked at Sasori.

"She is not an official member yet, but if she is accepted then yes, she will be," The red haired man replied, walking pass Ai and setting Miya down on the closest bed.

"Do you know how long it will be till she wakes up?" Ai leaned over her and looked down. "She looks nice enough. Then again, people used to think that about me too, and look how I am…"

"You slept for two weeks after waking up when you got here, un. So we can't tell for su-"

"Shut it Blondie, I wasn't asking you," Ai spat. A vein popped out of Deidara's head.

"What the hell is your proble—"

"Ne, Sasori-san, does she have a Kekkei Genkai?" Ai ignored Deidara again.

"We haven't been told."

"Alright then, I'll ask her when she wakes up."

Sasori and Deidara left, and Ai sat quietly at the side of the bed Miya lay unconscious on.

"Damnit!" Hidan shouted as he entered the room. "There's _another_ girl on my bed now!?"

"Shh!" Ai shushed. "She's sleeping you jackass!"

"Like I care!" Ai pulled her headband off her waist, and threw it at him, hitting him in the head. "Ow!" Ai yawned.

"Seriously, Hidan," She said rubbing her eyes. "Shut up." Hidan quirked an eyebrow.

"…Whatever," He muttered, walking over and propping his scythe against the wall. "Who is this chick, anyway?"

"Miya. If she becomes a member, she'll be my partner," Ai replied. Hidan made a noise signaling he understood. He then realized he was still holding Ai's headband.

"You're from Yukigakure?" He asked, looking at it.

"Huh? Oh…yeah. Unfortunately…" Ai looked away, frowning at the memory of that village. Hidan felt awkward, seeing the tension that question brought.

"Oh, okay," He muttered, setting the headband down in her lap. "Uh, I guess I shouldn't have brought that up…sorry…" His voice was just barely above a whisper as he forced the apology from his lips. Ai gave him a look.

"Hidan, are you feeling alright?" She asked.

"Huh?"

"You just _apologized_ to me. The Hidan I know _never_ apologizes. Are you sick?"

"Wh-what the hell? Can't I say I'm sorry without being criticized? Damn…" He looked away, blushing brightly. Ai laughed.

"Aww," She cooed. "Hidan's blushing!"

"Shut up!"

"God damnit! Shut the fuck up, both of you!" Yelled a very angry Miya as she sat up. Ai and Hidan gave her shocked expressions.

"S-sorry…Miya…" Ai muttered. She definitely was _not_ as nice as she looked!

"How the _fuck_ do you know my name? And who the hell are you freaks!?" Ai sweatdropped.

"_Vicious!_" She thought. "Uh…We're members of the Akatsuki…I'm Ai…and the loudmouth jackass here is Hidan. He was the one who was yelling." Hidan twitched and gave Ai an aggravated look.

"Uh, she…started it?" He muttered. Ai jumped up and grabbed the back of Hidan's head, forcing him to bow down.

"I'm sorry!" She said in a deep voice, making a poor attempt to imitate him.

"What the fuck!?" Hidan shouted, slapping her hand away.

"I'm keeping you from getting killed!" She shouted in reply.

"You fucking idiot! I can't be killed!"

"Well….horribly injured then!" Ai and Hidan's attention was pulled away to Miya, who was now giggling happily.

"Wha…?" They said in unison.

"I'm sorry…" Miya giggled. "You're just so funny…" Ai was now completely confused.

"Uhm, Miya…" She began.

"Yes?" Miya replied sweetly.

"You…were pissed off a second ago…" Ai sweatdropped. "What's…with the personality change?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. But you see, I'm bipolar," Miya laughed. "That happens every so often."

"What the fuck…" Hidan muttered, massaging the bridge of his nose.

"Okay then…" Ai looked at Hidan. "Here, Hidan likes swiftly changing women. How about you two make friends?"

"Wha--!?" Ai pushed Hidan toward Miya and ran off.

"Damnit!" He shouted, making sure he didn't fall on Miya, he turned and ran after Ai. Miya blinked as he disappeared from sight.

"They're so cute together," She smiled. "I wonder if they're a couple yet."


	7. Chapter 7

Elsewhere, Hidan managed to catch up with Ai. He grabbed her arm and spun her around, unintentionally causing their faces to end up mere centimeters away from each other. They stared blankly at one another for a moment, before Ai smashed her palm into Hidan's face.

"Rapist!" She yelled, pushing him away.

"What the fuck!?" Hidan held his now bleeding nose.

"You know, you say that too much. You need another phrase…" Ai thought for a moment. "Like…uh…I don't know something about ass and monkeys?"

"What the fucking hell is your problem!?" Hidan shouted. "Are you retarded?!"

"Not at all," Ai retorted. "Oh my, I did some damage on your nose didn't I? That's a lot of blood."

"No fucking duh!" Hidan looked at his hand that was almost covered in blood. "God fucking damnit…" Ai looked at him. She had injured him a lot she realized. She frowned, considering apologizing.

"Sorry about that," She said. Hidan stared at her.

"Now who's the one apologizing out of character?" He said.

"Shut up. I apologize when it's necessary. You're just never necessary." Hidan twitched, a vein popping out of his head.

"Fucking bitch," He muttered, noticing his nose stopped bleeding. Ai grabbed his necklace and yanked him forward.

"What was that, religious-freak?" She hissed, glaring viciously into his eyes.

"You fucking heard me," He spat back.

"Oh, I'm afraid I didn't. Now," She let go of his necklace and grabbed his hair, thrashing his head around. "_What did you say_?" She hissed.

"Let the fuck go of me!!" Hidan shouted, smacking her hand away and wiping away the blood on his hand and face. "Why don't you fucking go and bother Deidara? I'm sick of your shit." Ai glared at him before smirking.

"Oh, I see what you're mad about," She taunted. "You're still mad because I kissed Deidara."

"WHAT!?" Hidan yelled, blushing. "Why the _fuck_ would I be mad about that!?"

"Maybe because I kissed him a second time," Ai said it as if she enjoyed it, and smirked cruelly at Hidan. He stopped immediately, before turning and walking away.

"Eh? You're not mad? Or are you going to find and murder Deidara?"

"I don't give a fuck," Hidan hissed, not bothering to look back at her. "Do whatever the fuck you want." Ai stared as he disappeared from her sight.

"Oh my, well that didn't work as I had planned…" She muttered. "I think I made him mad."

"Well, that's surprising, un," Ai sweatdropped as she heard Deidara's voice. She felt arms wrap around her, and Deidara rested his chin on her shoulder. "Hidan's jealous because you're mine? How interesting, un."

"I am NOT yours!" Ai shouted, purposely into his ear. "And just because he might be jealous doesn't mean you have to get into it! So go the fuck away!" She shoved him away from her.

"Tsk, tsk. No need to be so defensive of him, un," Deidara said as he regained his posture. He quickly moved back before her, and cupped her chin. "I'm much more suited for you than he is. Why be so cold, un?" Ai went to slap his hand away, but stopped herself.

"You may be more suited for me than he is," She spoke. "But even so…" She leaned up and stopped before their lips met.

"I fucking_ hate_ you," She then turned and walked off. "So don't fucking touch me again. Might I add, I'm not a lesbian." A vein popped out of Deidara's head, and as he went to yell at her, he saw she was gone.

"God damnit. Why is life here so fucking dramatic?" Ai muttered as she walked. "I thought it would be all fighting, killing, and blood. But no, the bomb addict has to fucking fall in love with me! And Hidan…!" She stopped.

"Damnit. I can't even talk badly about him when he isn't here without feeling guilty. What the _fuck _is wrong with me?" She sighed heavily. "And I can't help but think about him saying he didn't care…You're kidding me. There is **no fucking way **I could _possibly_ like that fucker. NO FUCKING WAY." Ai stormed off in no particular direction, her cheeks flaring a bright red. She had no clue how she would manage to survive.

"Ai Fukanou," Ai stopped, seeing a man with spiky orange hair and numerous piercings standing before her. Next to him stood a blue haired woman with a paper flower in her hair.

"Uh, yeah, that's me…" Ai paused, she hadn't met this man before, but his voice seemed familiar. "Oh! You're the leader…aren't you?"

"I am. My name is Pein," He said.

"You were all shadowed before, why are you showing yourself now?"

"That is unimportant," Pein replied. "Due to the fact that you do not have a partner, you and Hidan are to go and obtain a scroll in Kagegakure." Ai felt her body stiffen.

"…I…have to go…with…_Hidan_?" She asked slowly.

"Yes." Ai could feel her soul slip out of her ear,

"_Oh my god…I'm going to get killed. I know it,_" She thought sadly. "…Okay…Fine, I get it…Does…Hidan already know?"

"No," Pein said. "You are to find him and tell him. Then, as soon as the two of you are prepared, you are to leave."

"…Okay," Ai slowly walked away, preparing herself for the torturous days this mission would bring.

"_What_?" Hidan hissed. "I have to go with_ you_!?"

"My thoughts exactly…" She muttered. "Either way, Pein said we should leave as soon as we're prepared."

"Fuck that asshole!" Hidan yelled.

"I think it isn't smart to yell that…"

"I don't fucking care! Why the fuck do I have to be partnered with you!?"

Ai felt hurt. She looked at the ground as she felt a strong pain well in her heart.

"_Fuck_," She thought. "_Why does his saying that…hurt? God fucking damnit!_"

"L…Look," She managed. "Get over it, alright? Let's just…get this the fuck over with…" Hidan looked at her.

"What's your problem all of a sudden?" He asked.

"Nothing…" Ai muttered.

"Fucking lia—"

"It's nothing!" Ai shouted, her eyes still not lifting from the floor. "Just get fucking ready alright!?" Hidan gave her a surprised look.

"Tch, whatever," He slung his scythe over his shoulder. "I'm ready, so shut the fuck up."

"…Then let's fucking go…" Ai turned and quickly made for the exit.

"Wrong way," Hidan stated.

"Shut up!" She turned and awkwardly followed Hidan as he walked.

"_Oh my god…_" She thought in complete misery. "_I wish I could just die right now…_"

The two Akatsuki members walked in silence, neither wanting to strike up a conversation with the other. The air around them was thick with agitation, anger, and numerous other unpleasant feelings.

"_Why the hell do I feel so…awkward around him? There is no fucking way I could have fallen in love with this stupid bastard,_" Ai thought sorrowfully as she walked behind Hidan. "_I mean, there isn't much of anything attractive about him! Well, yeah he may _look_ good but he's a complete asshole! AUGH! This is so agitating!!_"

"-i…Ai...Damnit woman listen to me!" Ai's head snapped up at Hidan shouting at her.

"Huh? What? What do you want?" She asked.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? You've been out of it since earlier," Hidan said, giving her a look.

"What? N-Nothing, I don't know…"

"What the fuck is up with you women and not admitting what's wrong? Damnit, women piss me off!" Hidan said, annoyed.

"Hey, you have no idea what women even _are,_ do you?" Ai asked, glaring at him.

"What the hell? I will have you know that I have met numerous wome—"

"EW I DON"T WANNA HEAR THAT." Ai shouted, covering her ears.

"Not like that, you fucking idiot!!" Hidan yelled in reply, blushing brightly.

"It sure as hell sounded like that!" Ai yelled back, blushing also.

"Damnit! What is your _problem_?" Hidan looked away from her, highly aggravated. Ai opened her mouth to shout a comeback, but stopped herself. She clenched her jaw and forced herself to shut up, there was already enough tension in the air.

The sun had set hours before the two had stopped walking. The moon was full and shining brightly in the sky, though the S-ranked criminals couldn't see it through the trees.

"Hey," Hidan said, stopping in his tracks.

"Hm?" Ai looked up at him, stopping before she collided with his back.

"We're going to camp here for the night," He stated, not bothering to look back at Ai.

"Uh, okay," She replied. She honestly didn't expect to camp out, but instead expected to walk all night.

Hidan gave Ai a quick glance over his shoulder, before he walked away and plopped down against a tree. Ai sighed, and did the same. She closed her eyes, and thought for a moment. All the thoughts buzzing around in her head were beginning to give her a headache.

How could she _possibly_ care in the least about this foul-mouthed idiot?

She hadn't the faintest clue.

Then again, she might just be out of it for some reason or another. Being the woman that she was, she admittedly did have her moments of stupidity.

Casting that thought aside, Ai drifted off to sleep.

"Ai…" Ai shifted in her sleep, a male voice echoing in her head. "Oi, Ai…Wake up, woman!" Ai awoke with a jolt as Hidan roughly shook her shoulder.

"Wha-??" She gasped as she looked around, startled. "What happened?"

"…Nothing," Hidan said, giving her an annoyed look. "We're going now. Get up."

"Huh? Okay, fine," She stood, swaying a bit. She frowned and shook her leg, which had fallen asleep as well. Hidan crossed his arms, tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for her to follow him.

"I'm comin'!" Ai said, noticing his foot tapping, as she caught up with him.

After and hour or so of walking, Ai frowned, feeling a presence behind her and Hidan.

"Hidan," She whispered as quietly as possible.

"What?" He muttered back.

"We're being followed…"

"I know."

"What should we do?" As if on queue, the men pursuing the two jumped from above, drawing their swords and aimed to chop Ai clean in half. Not seeing it coming, Ai stood idiotically, staring as the men neared her.

"Damnit!" Hidan grabbed her and pulled her off to the side, narrowly dodging the Anbu.

"Wake up!" Hidan shouted, smacking Ai. She jolted and glared at him.

"I'm awake!" She shouted back, dodging the attack of another Anbu. Hidan dodged the same attack, not bothering to reply to her.

Ai made numerous hand signs while in the air, and landed behind one of the ninja. Grabbing the back of his neck firmly, Ai shouted "Hyouketsu!", thus freezing the blood and skin of the Anbu. She smirked, and with a swift kick, shattered the body of the ninja before her. She narrowly avoided another attack by the third Anbu, before her attention was drawn to Hidan as she sliced the arm of his opponent off, following that up by licking the blood from his scythe.

Ai's eyes widened as she saw Hidan's skin turn black, with splotches of white on his face, arms, and chest. Her eyes shot from Hidan to her current opponent as his sword grazed her side. She jumped away, but lost her balance as she landed.

The Anbu took his chance, and drove his sword through Ai's chest.

Her eyes widened as she coughed crimson liquid onto the sword in front of her.

"Sh…shit…" She choked. Hidan averted his eyes from the now dead body of the Anbu in front of him to Ai hanging limply on the other Anbu's sword.

"Ai!" He shouted, a sudden rush of rage and concern blasting through his veins. He lunged toward the other Anbu, and drove his scythe into his chest, cutting the Anbu in half.

The sword fell from the Anbu's hands as he fell to the ground in a bloody lifeless heap. Hidan caught Ai before the sword hit the ground and was pushed further into her body. He looked down at the unmoving body of the girl he held. He gently tapped her cheek with his hand.

"Ai," He said quietly. "Oi, Ai, wake up." She didn't move, nor show any reaction.

"Ai…" Hidan said again, gently shaking her shoulder. "Wake up!" He frowned as Ai slumped against him, the color draining from her face.

Hidan cursed under his breath as his grip on the girl tightened slightly. He had no idea as to why he felt so upset by the situation, but he couldn't fight back the pain welling up inside him. He clenched his jaw tightly, cursing again.

His head fell forward slightly, and he stared sorrowfully at Ai's peaceful features.

"Fucking dieing on me like this," His muttered. "…Fucking idiot…"

He didn't cry. Of course he didn't, however he was too lost in his own thoughts to notice Ai's eyes opening.

She stared at his light pink eyes, which didn't seem to be looking at her at all. "Uh, Hidan…?" She asked, her voice hoarse and weak. His head snapped up.

"Ah! W-Were you awake that entire time?! You better not have been faking god dammit!" He shouted. Ai cringed and shook her head the best she could.

"Don't yell…" She muttered. "I seriously thought I was…done for but…" She coughed slightly, more of her bright red blood running down her chin. "I guess…My body is stronger than I thought…" Hidan looked at her, a mixture of relief, frustration, and guilt showing on his face.

"Ah…alright," He said quietly, quickly and subtly resting Ai's body on the ground. She smirked at him.

"And were you going to _kiss_ me, just now?" She teased. "You sure looked like you were gonna cry too!" Hidan blushed.

"Of course not!" He shouted, stopping as he saw Ai cringe in pain. "Wh…Why would I cry for someone like you?" He asked, looking away in a huff. He didn't see the hurt look in Ai's eyes.

"Yeah, I guess so huh," She forced herself into an upright position, wincing as her body screamed at her in protest.

"H-hey! You're gonna kill yourself like that!" Hidan said frantically.

"Yeah, I know," Ai said. "Turn around." Hidan raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"I need to bandage this wound, and to do that I need to take off my shirt. And I'm _not_ doing that while you're looking at me." Hidan blushed at that. "So turn around." Hidan scoffed slightly and turned around as told.

Ai unclasped her Akatsuki cloak, quickly shooting a glance at Hidan to make sure he wasn't peeking. Once she was sure she wasn't being watched, Ai slipped her cloak off her shoulders.

She looked down and frowned at the severity of her wound, very visible through her fishnet shirt. She curled her fingers around the hem of her shirt, and went to pull it up. She stopped as an odd scent floated into her nose.

She sniffed the air slightly, thinking the dizzy sensation she felt was from blood loss.

Hidan sighed, staring unhappily at the tree numerous feet away from him as he heard clothes shuffling behind him.

"_Damnit,_" He thought angrily. "_Why the fuck am I so…_worried_ about this bitch? Augh, Jashin-sama, what should I fucking _do_?_" Hidan was so lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice arms begin to slither around his neck from behind. That is, until he felt something soft squish against his back.  
His eyes snapped open and he jumped away, surprised.

"What the _hell _do you think you're doing!?" He shouted at Ai who stood up and laughed idiotically.

"Teasing you, of course!" She slurred. "It's pretty fun, you know." Hidan stared at her, dumfounded.

"Has that wound drained the blood from your head?" He asked. "What's with the slurred speech?" Ai quirked an eyebrow at him, swaying slightly.

"I," Ai paused, nearly falling over. "Have no idea what you are talking about."

"Don't fuck with me," Hidan said. "You look drunk all of a fucking sudden."

"Psssssssh," She scoffed, sounding more like she was imitating running water. "I will have you know that I have never had a drop of sake in my life as far as I know!"

"As far as you know…?" Hidan sweatdropped, frowning as Ai picked up her Akatsuki cloak and waved it at him like he was a bull.

Standing up straight, Hidan opened his mouth to speak. He stopped, however, when he smelled an odd stench. He immediately covered his mouth and nose with the sleeve of his cloak.

He wasn't a genius with poisons. Hell, he hardly knew anything about them at all, but he did recognize this smell.

One of his opponents numerous years before had acted this way too…

_"What the fuck is up with him…?" Hidan asked as his opponent suddenly stumbled from side to side, spluttering gibberish._

_"It's poison," Kakuzu said._

_"Hah?" Hidan asked, stopping as he smelled an odd odor in the air. "You mean that smell?" He covered his nose._

_"Yes," Kakuzu replied, not bothering to cover his mouth, seeing as the mask he wore worked well enough. "This type of poison will make those exposed to it seem drunk. That lasts for a while, depending on how long their exposed and if the dose was fatal enough. If they breathed in enough however, it'll kill them."_

_"So we don't need to worry about him then?" Hidan asked, glancing at the other ninja as he fell over._

_"No, he'll die on his own."_

Hidan snapped back to reality as Ai poked his forehead.

"Ooooi," She slurred. "What's your problem…?" Hidan grabbed her wrist.

"Cover you're mouth, now," He said sternly. Ai gave him a look.

"Why would I do that?" She asked, waving her Akatsuki cloak in the air. Hidan grabbed it from her and put it over her nose and mouth, forcing her to hold onto it.

He grabbed her free wrist and dragged her off.

"Hey…" Ai said, her words muffled by the fabric of her cloak. "Where are we going?" Hidan didn't answer her.

"Where are we--"

"Shut it and move!" Hidan ordered, cutting her off. Ai frowned, but did so. That is, until her legs gave out on her. Hidan turned and looked at her, feeling the tug on his arm the stopping of her body caused.

"Hey, get up!" He said, tugging on her arm.

"I can't..." Ai said, looking at her legs.

"Don't fucking give me that! Come on, move!"

"Hidan...my legs..." Hidan frowned, looking down at Ai as she made a poor attempt to stand, hardly moving an inch.

"I can't move..." She said. "Why can't I move?" Hidan clenched his jaw. He could still faintly smell the gas in the air, and if exposed to it any longer, Ai would die from it.

"Damnit," He hissed, picking Ai up and continuing to move forward. Ai looked at him surprised.

"What are you...?"

"What the fuck does it look like?" Hidan asked, irritated. Ai frowned, and looked away from him, making sure he didn't see her blush.

"This is..." She paused. "Unpleasant."

"Too fucking bad," Hidan said. "Deal with it."

"Trying to," Ai replied, shifting to make herself more comfortable.

Ai had lost track of how long they had been moving, and she was just about to drift off to sleep, when she felt Hidan's grip on her loosen, and something hard press against her back.

Her eyes shot open as she realized Hidan was putting her down.

"Why are you putting me down?" She asked, grabbing his Akatsuki cloak the best she could.

"We still have a mission to finish," Hidan stated. "And with you like this I doubt you'll be of any use at all." Ai frowned, not liking the idea of being useless.

"If you leave me here I swear I'll find and kill you," She threatened.

"I wasn't planning on it!" Hidan spat back, making Ai's heart skip a beat. "If I leave you here Pein will bitch at me about it. And I _really_ don't feel like dealing with that." Ai snickered slightly, making him scoff.

"Whatever," He said, standing. "Stay here." Ai grabbed his wrist despite herself.

"Wait, Hidan," Her voice said against her will. Hidan looked at her.

"What?" He asked."

"..." Ai was silent, trying to think of something to say. "W-What if someone find me? In this...condition I can't really...fight or anything." Hidan was silent as well. He pulled his wrist from her grip and slid his Akatsuki cloak off his shoulders.

"Eh!?" Ai gasped, not expecting that.

"Shut up," Hidan spat, throwing his Akatsuki cloak over her so her head was barely visible. "There, it isn't the greatest camouflage but it'll work." Before Ai could say anything, Hidan slung his scythe higher over his shoulder and walked away, leaving her alone.


	8. Chapter 8

_Ai drove her foot into the stomach of one of the men around her, trying her best to hold off the other. She blocked a punch the second man threw at her, and caught the wrist of the first, who was back on his feet._

"_Hidan!" She shouted at the silver-haired ninja who stood numerous feet away from her, doing nothing. "Help me damnit!" A cruel, sadistic smirk formed on his lips, his eyes not visible through the shadow of the night._

"_Hidan, damnit!" Ai shouted again. Hidan responded to her yells by only lifting his head, revealing his blank, white eyes. The men around Ai suddenly disappeared, and she now stood, alone with Hidan, in a blank white room with no exit._

_Things moved so quickly Ai could hardly process that she was now held firmly against the wall, with Hidan's hand clamped hard on her throat. His fingers squeezing tightly so no air could reach her lungs._

_Her hands shot to Hidan's wrists as Ai tried desperately to get him to let go. Her eyes began to water as she could feel herself slipping into unconsciousness…_

Ai's breathing was heavy as she wriggled and writhed in the slumber that had taken her over. Her body ached worse with every second that went by, her body's temperature rising each second as well.

Her eyes snapped open suddenly as she felt a hand brush against her, and went to drive her fist into the closest body part of the offending person. However, to her dismay, her arm didn't respond to her brain's command, and in substitution sent panicked signals throughout her body.

Her eyes shifted quickly to the face of the man hovering over her, only to see silver hair and pink eyes.

"H…Hidan…" She said, heaving a sigh of relief. She then glared fiercely at him. "You scared the shit outta me damnit!" Hidan slapped his hand over her mouth.

"Be quiet, dumbass!" He hissed quietly. Ai bit his hand, causing him to shout. "Damnit!"

"Why do I have to be quiet?" She asked. "Did you start shit with the Kage?" Hidan sweatdropped.

"Pein-sama forgot to mention that the ones who had the scroll we needed _weren't_ allies," He said. "So I didn't have a choice." Ai sighed.

"Asshole…" She frowned, finding it difficult to move her jaw. Hidan looked at her.

"Can you move?" He asked. Ai tried to shake her head, but it proved fruitless.

"Ah…no," She said. Hidan sighed, not wanting to have to carry her again. However, he did anyway.

Sliding his arms beneath her, Hidan picked Ai up, blushing as she slumped comfortably against his chest. Ai frowned.

"This is really unpleasant…" Ai said.

"You've said that before," Hidan replied, annoyed. "So shut the fuck up." Ai 'tch'd and closed her eyes, her eyelids becoming too heavy to bear.  
"Don't fall asleep," Hidan ordered.  
"What?" Ai asked, trying to open her eyes, but finding she was unable to. "Wha…I can't open my eyes…" She felt Hidan's grip on her tighten slightly.

"Are you sure?"  
"Y…Yes…" Ai said, her jaw now also proving difficult and not moving as easily as it should. "And…my jaw…it's hard…to move…" Hidan frowned and stopped walking, looking down at her.

"Can you move anything now?" He asked with a slight trace of concern and worry in his voice. Ai didn't reply. "Ai? Ai, answer me damnit!"

"…No…" Ai forced through her barely open lips.

"Shit," Hidan said. He knew soon the poison in Ai's system would kill her, and for some reason unknown to him, he didn't want that to happen.  
Hidan broke into a run, moving through the dense, dark forest as fast as he could.

He had no idea how long he'd been running, nor how long it would take for him to get to the hideout. However, he did know that Ai's condition was worsening.

Her breaths were quick and struggled, her lungs not inflating as much as they should, limiting the amount of air Ai could take in in one breath.

"Don't die on me, damnit," Hidan said quietly, quickening his already fast footsteps. He thought, for a moment, he heard Ai respond. However he quickly dismissed it as his imagination.

Within hours, Hidan landed in the water in front of the Akatsuki hideout, gathering his chakra in his feet to make sure he didn't fall in. He bounced Ai in his arms slightly so he could make the hand signs needed to lift the boulder that served as a door.  
After making said hand signs, Hidan looked down at Ai as the boulder-door rose. His magenta eyes widened at what he realized when looking at her;  
She wasn't breathing.

"Ah, Hidan-san," Kisame said from inside the hideout. "Welcome back. Hm? Oh my, what happened between you two while you were gone?" Hidan's head snapped up, looking fiercely at the shark-man.

"Where's Kakuzu?" He asked urgently, ignoring Kisame's comment.

"Hmn? I don't know. I haven't seen him recently," Kisame replied. "Why?"

"Ai's been poisoned," Hidan stated, agitated. "She's going to die if we don't do something. And I don't know shit about poisons!" Kisame frowned.

"Sasori-san might have a solution…"

"Where is he?" Hidan cut Kisame off, speaking quickly. Kisame thought for a moment.

"Last I saw him, he was headed," Kisame pointed over his shoulder, slightly to the left. "In that direction." Hidan quickly made his way in the direction Kisame pointed, frustrated and aggravated.

It only took a few minutes for Hidan to find the red-haired puppet.

"Sasori-san!" He called, gaining the man's attention. His brown eyes fell to Ai, who was now pale, her skin nearly transparent.

"What happened to Ai-san?" Sasori asked, noting a dark red – almost black – stain on the cloak covering her.

"She's been poisoned," Hidan replied. "She isn't breathing, but I think she's still alive."

"Set her down," Sasori ordered. Hidan gently laid Ai's body on the ground, careful not to agitate her wound.

"Do you know what poison it is?" Sasori asked.

"No," He replied, feeling slightly idiotic. "But I've seen it once before, Kakuzu should know its name."

Sasori nodded. "Did she show any odd behavior, or did she just collapse suddenly?"

"She suddenly seemed drunk," Hidan said. "After that, she fell and said she couldn't move her legs. Eventually she couldn't move at all." Sasori nodded again, now knowing what poison it was inside Ai's system.

Sasori rooted through his sleeve, pulling out a syringe in one hand, and a small bottle in the other.

He pushed the needle on the syringe through the cap of the bottle, and drew out some of the grey-purple liquid within. Setting the bottle down, Sasori pushed the needle, roughly, into Ai's chest, directly into her heart.

Ai's body twitched violently, her face contorting into a look of pain and discomfort. However, here eyes remained closed. Hidan looked at her in surprise as her breathing began once again, her breath sounding rather ragged.

"This should slowly destroy the poison," Sasori said.

"…That's it…" Hidan stated more than asked, feeling incredibly stupid about the fact that the solution was that simple. He sighed, putting a hand to his forehead. He had a headache. "Damnit." Sasori handed Hidan the bottle of grey-purple liquid.

"There is a slim chance that the amount I gave her will not be able to save Ai-san," He stated, causing Hidan's head to shoot up. "In which case, you need to give her another dose. If her breathing stops, even for a second, you have to make her swallow this."

"Hah!?" Hidan shouted, blushing. If Ai stopped breathing, the only way to get her to swallow the liquid would be to…

"Why can't you do it!?" Hidan asked, flustered. "Can't you just put more into her heart or whatever you just did!?" Sasori shook his head.

"In to large a dosage, this could prove more fatal than the poison itself," He said. "Her heart will fail if injected with more of it. The only way to save her when her heart stops beating a second time would be to force this down her throat." Hidan couldn't help but blush. His raised his head to pose another argument, but Sasori was already gone.

"Shit…" He muttered, glancing down at Ai's now peaceful features.

If Ai stopped breathing, the only way to get her to swallow the liquid would be to transfer the liquid from Hidan's mouth to hers.

Meaning their lips would have to touch.

Meaning Hidan would have to _kiss_ Ai.

"Fuck…" Crimson flooded into Hidan's face as the though rushed through his head. He quickly shook it away. "You better not stop breathing, damnit."


	9. Chapter 9

Hidan sat there for what seemed like (and quite possibly could have been) hours, losing himself in his thoughts, while staring intently at the rise and fall of Ai's chest, making sure she didn't stop breathing

"_Her wound is more or less closed now, I think,_" Hidan found himself thinking blankly, glancing at the large patch of dried blood on Ai's chest and stomach. He drew in a sharp breath suddenly, coming to alert as he noticed Ai's chest had stopped rising; she stopped breathing.

"Shit! Ai…Ai!" He shouted, quickly crawling and hovering over the unconscious girl, shaking her shoulder roughly. "Damnit…!" Hidan cursed, remembering what he was told to do in this situation.

'…_If her breathing stops, even for a second, you have to make her swallow this…_'

Hidan cursed again, and snatched the bottle of gray-purple liquid from its spot on the ground. Putting the bottle to his lips, Hidan poured the unnamed, and now he realized foul-tasting, concoction into his mouth, hastily dropping the bottle back down and returning to Ai's side. He frowned deeply as he hovered over her for a minute, before moving to close the gap between them…

Ai's eyes popped open, immediately met by Hidan's half closed magenta eyes.

The two stared at each other, blankly, confusedly.

"Uh…" Ai began, her voice dry and raspy from lack of use. "Hidan? What…the _fuck_ are you doing…?" Hidan shot up, turning to the side and spiting the foul-tasting liquid from his mouth, not caring as it splattered messily on the ground. He coughed slightly. Ai, growing impatient, asked her question again.

"What the fuck were you _doing_?" She spat, regaining movement in her neck slightly. "Trying to molest me in my unconscious state? I knew this would happen eventually."

"I was saving your life, damnit!" Hidan retorted.

"Saving my…" Ai let out a sarcastic laugh. "Okay, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt here. Now, tell me, _what_ were you saving me from? Mono? Lupus? AIDS? 'Cause I have none of them!" (Forgive me if none of those diseases are in the Naruto era)

"You were fucking poisoned!" Hidan blurted angrily. "I was saving your damn life, so be fucking grateful!" Ai frowned, and turned her head away. She didn't quite notice her ability to move her neck.

"Fine," She spoke. "I'll give you the benefit of the doubt this time…and believe you were trying to 'save' me…"

"Saying it like that is odd…" Hidan muttered, frowning also. Ai ignored that statement, and closed her eyes, trying to recall all that had happened.

She remembered being forced out on a mission with Hidan, being attacked by Anbu, almost dieing…

"That's right…" Ai muttered, reaching her hand up and touching the wound in her chest, her fingers flinching back quickly from the pain. Hidan noticed this movement.

"Ah, you can move now?" He said, trying to hide his interest.

"Huh? Oh, yeah…" Ai blinked, her memory of immobility slightly fuzzy. "I guess."

"So that shit is working then…" Hidan said, glancing over at the splatter on the floor from where he had spat out the vile tasting liquid. He sighed heavily; all the adrenaline from the situation had exhausted him. He briefly considered sleeping, but quickly cast it aside. He still needed to perform the ritual, after all. Jashin was surely upset with him for stalling it this long. Hidan stood.

"You're alive, so I have no point in dealing with you anymore," He said, walking away. Ai frowned, and reached her hand out in an attempt to stop him.

"W-….wait, Hidan," She said, gaining the ninja's attention.

"_Nanda_?" He almost hissed. Ai swallowed the lump that formed in her throat.

"I almost died…twice, in the last 24 hours…right?" She asked, her voice wavering ever so slightly.

"Hah?" Hidan made a questioning noise. "Uh, yeah." Ai turned her gaze away from the man before her.

Her voice was low and quiet as she spoke, just above a whisper, "I…don't want to die…"

Hidan stared at her, his face a mixture of shock and confusion at how fragile the woman speaking to him seemed. Maybe the poison affected her brain?

"How can I be immortal like you?" Ai's voice was higher now, desperate for an answer. Hidan drew in a sharp breath at her question.

He was quiet for a while, the air lingering with the awkward silence. "What happened to not being scared of death?" Hidan asked, though it sounded more like an accusation.

"Huh?" Ai spoke, giving the religious potty-mouth an odd look.

"You said once before that death didn't scare you," Hidan stared down at her, his eyes almost scolding Ai for her weakness. "What, were you lying?" Ai frowned.

"Just because death doesn't scare me, doesn't mean I'll welcome it with open arms!" She said. "Fine, I don't like the prospect of death, alright? Just…answer my question." Hidan rolled his eyes slightly.

"It's impossible," He said, turning to leave again. Though that was a lie, he didn't feel like arguing. He had a hunch Ai wouldn't like the conditions anyway.

"What do you mean it's impossible?" Ai asked, miffed. "You're immortal, right? Something had to have made you that way…right?" A vein popped out of Hidan's forehead, his patience running thin.

"You have to believe in Jashin-sama as I do," He spoke quietly. "Otherwise it's nothing more than a suicide." Ai caught this quiet statement.

"I _do_ believe in Jashin," She said, forcing herself into a sitting position, cringing at the pain her wound caused.

Hidan turned and gave Ai a look that could have been compared to the devil himself. "Don't fucking lie about that," He hissed. "Just because I saved your damn life once doesn't mean I won't sacrifice you."

"I'm not lying!" Ai defended. "You said 'believe', and I do believe. Your following Jashin had something to do with your being immortal, right? That enough is proof that he exists, at least in some form." Hidan frowned; he wasn't expecting this reply. He sighed. Sure, he was all for Ai converting to Jashin, but he wasn't quite sure she actually _would_. Even so, there were other reasons Hidan hesitated with agreeing to make Ai immortal (or at least _try_). He decided to try and make Ai understand.

"You don't want to be immortal," He spoke.

"Why not?" Ai asked, persistently. Hidan frowned deeper, not wanting to explain the suffering his being immortal caused.

"No matter how much you want to die, you can't," He began. "You have no choice but to endure the pain of thousands of wounds, yet you can't die, no matter how much it hurts…" Ai stared at him, speechless. She had no clue he could be so…angst-y. She turned her gaze away, feeling awkward and…slightly guilty.

"I…guess you're right," She muttered. "But that doesn't change my mind." Hidan twitched, blushing slightly. She was so damn _stubborn_!

"Besides," Ai began again, her voice quiet. "There's…a worldly possession that I…don't want to leave behind…" She turned around, looking in the opposite direction of where Hidan was. She tried hard to push the blush covering her cheeks back, but to no avail.

Hidan sighed again.

"Fine," He said. "Don't get your hopes up, though." Ai smiled, feeling accomplished, Hidan's pessimistic words not bothering her.

"Got it," She said, standing.

The area the two were in was secluded enough, Hidan figured. Not that it really mattered if anyone else was around.

But Pein would surely chew his ass out if Ai died from this.

Hidan cast those thoughts aside, and retrieved a kunai from his kunai pouch. He walked back towards Ai, and grabbed her wrist. She flinched slightly, not sure what Hidan was doing as he pulled out her arm and slit open her palm.

"I assume this is part of…whatever you're doing?" She asked, wincing as Hidan turned her hand over, allowing her crimson blood to fall onto the floor. All he did was to reply to her was nod.

Hidan spread the small puddle of Ai's blood out with his foot, forming the symbol of his faith around her.

Motioning to the ground, Hidan gave Ai an order, "Lay down."

Hesitating only slightly, Ai did as she was told. Hidan retrieved a stake from his cloak, one he often used for his own ritual. He raised it above her, not fully expecting the ritual to work. In the back of his mind, Hidan gave a prayer for Ai's soul.

"_Jashin-sama, please forgive this woman of her sins, and allow her in heaven with you…_"

With that, Hidan plunged the stake he held into Ai's chest, watching with an unwavering gaze as she coughed, her own blood staining her lips and trailing down her chin. Her golden eyes widened, corrupted with pain and anguish. Within seconds, Ai's body stopped moving, and she lay limp on the ground before Hidan.

She was dead, Hidan figured. Thinking it a sacrifice, he then turned the stake in his hands upon himself, pushing it through his chest as he had done with Ai.


	10. Chapter 10

To a normal person, the scene could easily have been compared to two lovers joining each other in the afterlife, their blood mixing in a large, crimson puddle on the ground.

Of course, that certainly wasn't the case.

One pair of eyes in the room slowly opened, their gaze blurred by pain. They glanced around, trying to recall where they were and what happened. The body that the eyes belonged to ached with every breath, blood sticking to her clothes and skin.

Ai sat up quietly, putting a hand over the painful wound in her chest, wincing. Two wounds in one day, in the same damn place.

Wait a second…_painful_ wound? If she could feel pain…

That meant Ai was alive!

"_So it worked!_" Ai thought. "_Even if Hidan missed my heart, I definitely would have died of blood loss by now._"

Ai then realized something she had not noticed beforehand,

"_Wait, where _is_ Hidan?_"

Ai turned her head, the first thing catching her attention being a large puddle of blood around a familiar looking man—

There he is.

Ai scanned her eyes over him, covered in blood, with a large stake sticking out of his chest, like a vampire who was just slain. She frowned, having seen him like this before. When he did that ritual-thing, while she was talking to him.

"_Maybe he thought it wouldn't work,_" Ai thought. "_And considered it a sacrifice._" A small vein popped out of Ai's forehead. She felt slightly put off by that consideration. Then, however, another thought popped into Ai's mind.

Maybe Hidan's immortality wasn't something that could just be given to any random Jashin follower. Maybe the person who gave the immortality would actually be passing it on.

Maybe, in order for Ai to be immortal…Hidan had to give his own life!

Normally, as in, before she was in the Akatsuki, Ai would have thought that idiotic. However, the majority of her common sense surely was destroyed upon meeting the freaks in her current residence.

"_Shit,_" Ai thought, feeling slightly guilty. She reached out and grabbed hold of Hidan's shoulders. "Hidan, you dumbass! If you knew you were going to die by making me immortal, why did you!? Do you think I can live with this on what little there is left of my conscience!?" She shook him violently.

"What…the…fuck…are you DOING!?" Ai stopped, staring in confusion at the angry magenta eyes glaring back at her.

Well, this is one unfortunate incident created by Ai's loss of common sense. Damnit.

"You're…alive?" Was all Ai managed to ask.

"No shit, I'm alive! I can't fucking _die_, dumbass!" Hidan stopped then, too. "Wait…_you're_ alive?"

Ai blinked. "Uh, yeah, I guess," She said.

"Are you kidding me? It actually worked?" Hidan said, shocked. Ai gave him a look, temporarily ignoring the second part of his statement.

"No, I'm a zombie trying to lure you into a false sense of security until I can eat your brain," She joked. Hidan opened his mouth to complain, but Ai cut him off. "But yes, unless I somehow magically didn't lose enough blood to kill me. Actually, I do feel slightly lightheaded…"

Ai put a hand to her forehead in the classic 'ooh, I'm falling, catch me' way. Hidan scoffed.

"If you fall over, I'm not going to catch you," He said. Ai frowned.

"Aw, but I was going to woo you with how beautiful I look when I'm asleep," Ai joked again, running her fingers through her blood soaked hair, frowning at the knots she found.

"Beautiful? My ass," Hidan said.

"Well you aren't any prince charming either, jackass," Ai retorted calmly, picking some dried blood out from beneath her fingernail.

A vein popped out of Hidan's head. "At least I have a name that fits my gender," He said.  
"Hey, I have a unisex name, and any guy who has the name Ai is probably gay anyway, so bite me!" Ai spat back.

"Oh, and you aren't?"

"Just because I don't like you doesn't mean I don't like men," Ai returned Hidan's menacing glare with her own. "You're just too damn girly for my tastes!"

"What the hell are you two fighting about now?" Complained Kakuzu as he entered the area. Ai and Hidan looked at him, pointing an accusing finger at each other, shouting 'He/She started it!' Kakuzu sighed.

"Hidan, get off your ass," He said. "We have a mission." Hidan was silent for a moment, before standing and walking towards his partner.

"Fine," He said. "Wait, where were you the last time I had a mission?"

"Leader assigned me to take care of a few financial problems," Kakuzu replied. "Why, didn't you like your little romantic outing with Ai?"

"Romantic my ass! Anyone who would want to have ANY romance with _her_ must have lost their mind."

"I can still hear you, jackass!" Ai shouted at the departing silver-haired ninja. Said ninja simply flipped Ai off, and walked out of sight. Ai growled in agitation.

"Ass," She said.

Hours passed with Ai lying on her 'bed' in silence. It was boring. Without Hidan there to torment, Ai was left with nothing to do. She kicked her feet absently, mentally listing the things she could do to occupy herself.

She could find Tobi. No, he'd constantly want her to play with him until she collapsed from exhaustion.

She could mess with Deidara. Nah, he might try to rape her.

She could find Miya…yes!

Ai sat up and stood, turning to walk in whatever direction suited her.

"Ai?" Spoke a slightly familiar voice. The black-haired ninja turned her head, and spotted the very girl she was going to look for.

"Miya-chan! Hey!" Ai said, quickly making her way over to her. She blinked, noticing the cloak the green-haired woman wore. "Oh! You're a member now?"

Miya nodded, smiling. "Yep. I was assigned as your partner too!"

"Sweet!" Ai high-fived her new teammate, grinning. "Welcome to the most fucked up organization you'll probably ever know!" Miya laughed.

"How nice," She said, before stopping. "Uh, hey, Ai-chan?"

"Yeah?" Ai asked, noticing a slightly awkwardness to Miya's demeanor now. "Something wrong?"

"Uh, well, when I was fighting Sasori…" Ai blinked. She had never seen Sasori fight before; she wondered if he was all that tough. Miya continued; a light blush on her cheeks.

"I noticed this guy on the sidelines--" Oh god. "--Who was cheering for Sasori, he had blonde hair, which covered his left eye," Miya made hand motions over her eye to emphasize. "And some of it was pulled into a high ponytail." Miya made motions above her head as well.

"Do you know…who he is?" Miya looked hopefully up at Ai, who sweatdropped slightly. Did she…?

"Uh, yeah, that's Deidara," She said. Miya blushed a bit more.

"Deidara…hm," She smiled slightly to herself. "What a nice name…" Ai made a face of disgust, and had to restrain making a 'blech!' noise.

"You don't…_like_…Deidara, do you?" She asked. Miya blushed again.

"Well, uh, he's…very attractive…" She stuttered slightly.

"UGH!" Ai backed up, like she had just been punched in the stomach. "Seriously? You think that…_asshole_ is attractive!?" Ai stopped, staring at Miya, whose aura drastically changed.

"Asshole, huh?" She almost hissed. Oh shit… "You think Dei is an asshole??" 'Dei'?

"Uh…" Ai shivered. Miya's other personality must have kicked in. "Well…he's an ass to me, ya know. He, uh, broke my arm once, see, and, uh, I just don't really…like him?" Ai stumbled over her words, trying to calm Miya down and get rid of the 'urge to kill rising' aura radiating off of her. She blinked.

"He broke your arm?" She asked, calm once more. _Phew…_"Aaah, maybe he isn't as nice as he seemed…" Ai looked at the troubled girl, and frowned.

"Eh, it really just depends on who you are, he just…doesn't like me very much," She lied. Deidara liked her, alright. Though she wasn't going to tell Miya that, it's not like she _wanted_ that news publicized.

"Oh, I see…" Miya muttered. She turned suddenly, something catching her attention. Ai looked over the woman's shoulder, looking to see what she saw. It was Deidara, with Sasori.

"I'm telling you, danna," He said. "Art _isn't_ eternal, un!"

"Fool," Sasori retorted, unhappily. "I'll kill you if you don't quit with that." Deidara chuckled slightly.

"You're so stubborn, danna, un," He said. The blonde glanced up, and caught Ai and Miya's gaze. Ai glanced at Miya for a moment, before raising her hand and waving at the two ninja.

"Yo, boys," She said. Miya looked at her, horrified at the idea of striking up a conversation with Deidara. Ai mouthed a 'talk to him' to the girl beside her, and grinned. Miya frowned, before turning and waving also.

"Hello there," She spoke, smiling a bit nervously.

"Ah, it's the new member, un" Deidara stated, and playfully elbowed the red-haired man next to him. "The one who beat you, danna," He laughed. Sasori frowned.

"Shut it," He said. He kept walking, and passed the two women. Deidara, however, stopped in front of them.

"So," Ai said, smirking a bit. "How was the fight? Eh, Deidara? I assume being a spectator is better than an actual part of the fight, so Miya-chan and Sasori's opinions are biased." Deidara chuckled slightly.

"I actually expected Sasori-danna to win," He said. "But Miya-san proved me wrong. She's got more strength than I thought, un." He smiled at Miya, who laughed a bit.

"Aha…t-thanks," She muttered. "His being a puppet hindered me a bit, though." Ai blinked, not quite registering that statement.

"Yeah, I've seen Sasori fight before, so I can't really—" Ai paused. "…Wait a second, _puppet_?"

"Huh?" Deidara looked at Ai. "Yeah, Sasori-danna's a puppet, un." He said, completely calmly.

"…How is he _alive_!?" Ai asked, shocked.

"He had a thingy in his chest," Miya said, drawing a circle with her fingers in the middle of her chest. "That may be it."

"Yeah, un," Deidara responded. "That serves as danna's heart."

"…I think it'd be best if I didn't ask anymore questions," Ai spoke. How the _hell_ is being a living puppet even _possible_? "Whatever, I've got something to do, so you two make friends." Ai turned to walk away from the pair, gaining a panicked 'Ehhh!?' from Miya.

"Be nice to her, Dei-Dei," Ai teased. "Don't break her arm like you did mine!"

"You deserved it, un!" Deidara called to the departing ninja, who simply laughed and dashed away.

"_Matchmaking complete,_" Ai thought as she walked in no particular direction. "_If Miya doesn't run away or kill him, and if 'Dei-Dei' doesn't be an idiot, they're bound to hit it off!_" She laughed, feeling accomplished. After a moment, Ai's laughter ceased, and she slumped over.

"Aaah, but I still have nothing to do," She whined. "Damnit…" With a sigh, Ai plopped on the floor. She frowned as something brushed against her arm, causing her to look down. It was a string that had come loose from her cloak.

She tugged it, and it broke free with only a slight effort. She held it up, staring at the black thread dangling between her fingers.

"These cloaks must have been cheaply made," Ai said. "I've only had it for a short while and it's already coming apart. Geez." Then, Ai had a thought. The string she held was long enough to be used as a necklace, and the ring on her finger was a bit too tight for her taste.

So, she removed the ring, and slipped the string through the center, holding each end and tying it around her neck. It dangled helplessly from her neck, hanging just enough to be comfortable.

"Perfect!" Ai said, smiling. Well, that managed occupied her for about…ten seconds. She tapped her fingernails against the stone she sat on; tapping a random melody that she didn't bother to fit words too. Then, she sighed, and stopped, the tapping getting on her own nerves.

"Damnit, why is it so _boring_ around here?" She asked out loud. "You'd think S-ranked criminals would have _something_ fun to occupy themselves with!" Ai stood and wandered off in no particular direction.

The hours Ai spent fighting boredom soon turned to days, and she had begun to suspect that Hidan had gotten killed, seeing as he had not yet returned.

Briefly, she had wondered why she and Miya hadn't been sent out on a mission yet. Though she quickly dismissed this thought, it only making her more irritated.

"Augh! It's about damn time we got back here!" A familiar voice shouted. "Interrupting my sacrifices, damn Leader…" Ai sat up from her spot on her 'bed', and looked over at Hidan and Kakuzu, who were just entering the hideout.

"Yo! You took quite a while," Ai said, waving at the two. "Ya' get lost—Damn! What happened to _you_, Hidan!?" Ai laughed, pointing at the silver-haired ninja, whose Akatsuki cloak now resembled a toga more than an actual cloak, and on his neck were stitches, signifying someone had managed to chop his head off.

"Shut the fuck up," Hidan said, sending a glare her way. Ai was about to tease him again, but her name being called made her bite it back.

"Ai-chan," It was Miya calling her. "Leader-sama is gathering everyone, you should come too." Ai frowned.

"Well, I suppose this _is_ an organization after all," She said. "I was beginning to suspect it was just a freak hotel." Miya laughed slightly, and the two of them walked off (with Hidan and Kakuzu trailing behind).

Soon enough, the four had come to a room Ai never noticed before, that had two gigantic stone hands, in front of a huge…head-type-thing.

"Wha-What the FUCK is that!?" Ai shouted, pointing at the huge structure.

"It's the thing that contains the Jinchuuriki," Hidan stated as if he were answering what two plus two equaled.

"Jin…chew…rii…you mean those beasts that terrorized all those countries a long time ago?" Ai asked.

"…Yeah,"

"Oh, okay, I got'cha," Ai paused. "Wait—"

"They're being contained because we need all of them," Hidan cut her off before she could ask.

"Ah, okay," Ai noticed two people unconscious on the ground in front of the structure. One was a woman, with long blonde hair. The other Ai couldn't get a good look at.

"Ai-chan, come on," Miya said to her partner. "We need to take our places."

"Hunh?" Miya pointed to one of the fingers on the left stone hand, the pinky.

"You stand there," She said. Ai blinked, before nodding and hopping up to her designated position. She looked at the position next to her, seeing Kisame standing there. Next to him was Kakuzu, and then Hidan, and standing in Sasori's position was Miya.

Sasori had died a few days before, while on a mission with Deidara, who returned missing both his arms. So Miya had taken his position.

Once the rest of the members had arrived and taken their positions, the Leader appeared.

"Alright," He spoke, his voice echoing in the large room. He formed a sign with his hands, as did the other members. Ai also found herself absently making the sign, suddenly knowing what she was supposed to do. "Let's begin."


	11. Chapter 11 Final

Hours passed, or it could have been days for all Ai knew. All any of the other members did was stand still on the stone fingers, holding their hands in the sign needed, so Ai dared not do anything that might screw up whatever they were doing. Glancing up, she watched the large blue aura from the Three-tails be pulled into the mouth of the head-sculpture.

"As soon as the Three-tails is done," Leader began, catching Ai's, and everyone elses, attention. "We'll seal the Two-tails as well, it will take six days. Prepare yourselves for a marathon."

"**SIX FREAKIN' DAYS**!?" Hidan shouted. "That's _way_ too fucking long!"

"Hidan, you have no room to complain," Kakuzu said. Ai quirked an eyebrow at that, hearing it as an innuendo. What were _they_ doing while they were gone?

"Hey, if I had a bit more time, I could have _massacred_ those Konoha flies!" Hidan spat back. "It would have been the perfect chance to show those godless heathens the glory of Jashin!"

"Konoha isn't godless," Leader said. "They place their previous generations as Gods. But that could be called nothing more than a justification for one to fight."

"You bastard!" Hidan growled. "Are you mocking me!?" Ai snickered, but then blocked out the argument Hidan and Leader were engaged in. She had a headache from all the focusing on the…Jinchuuriki-removal or whatever.

"Nobody wants to hear your long-ass lectures!" Hidan said to the Leader, catching Ai's attention despite her attempts to ignore them. Well, he was right about that. "I have my _own_ way of doing things, and my _own_ objectives. And I damn well am not going to give them up for the organization." Ai turned her head and looked at the silver-haired ninja in admiration. That was the first thing Hidan had ever said that made feel the slightest…respect…for him.

"As long as you are a member of Akatsuki, you are _expected_ to contribute to its goals," Leader said. "Then when our goals come to fruition, your desires will surely be recognized as well."

"Yeah, yeah, go ahead and make yourself sound all special," Hidan rolled his eyes. "And the only goal of the Akatsuki is money!" Ai frowned, and decided to block out the argument again. She cracked her neck, starting to feel slightly stiff after standing in the same position for so long.

Hidan and Leader's argument went on for a while, and eventually Hidan ran out of things to spit back at him. At that point, Leader was simply rambling about Akatsuki's objectives, and that eventually all countries will be forced to depend on the organization of criminals.

"Then we will have arrived at the third stage of our ambitions," Leader said, looking at his outstretched hand. "World domination."

Ai nearly fell over.

"_Seriously_?" She asked. "We're _actually_ going for world domination? How unoriginal!"

"Tell me about it…" Hidan muttered.

The six days felt more like six eons, and Ai herself felt like a statue. It was going to be _hell_ when she started moving again.

Finally, the two-tails was extracted, and the body of its host fell to the ground. Leader dropped his arms to the side.

"That completes the extraction of the two tails," He said, "Three more left. You are dismissed."

"Finally!" Hidan said. Ai's upper body slacked, and she cracked her neck. She would have fallen to her knees, had they not grown so used to standing in the same position.

"Thank Jashin," She sighed, catching Hidan's attention. He watched silently as Ai continued the work the joints in her arms and shoulders.

"Hidan, we're going to Konoha," Kakuzu said, ripping Hidan's attention from the black-haired ninja.

"Kakuzu, Hidan," Deidara said to the two. "If you're going to Konoha, I have a bit of advice, un. The jinchuuriki named Naruto lives there, if you run into him, be careful, un."

"Hey, hey, I'm not like you Deidara-chan!" Hidan replied. "I'm not some amateur that got his arms sewn back on my Kakuzu!"

"Better than his neck," Kakuzu muttered.

"Damnit, Kakuzu! Who the hell's side are you on!?" Ai laughed.

"Deidara-_chan_, eh?" She said, regarding the endearing term Hidan used for the blonde ninja. "How sweet! The bomber and the violent religious freak, your kid would be the worst thing to ever happen to this earth!"

"Hey!" Hidan shouted at Ai. Kakuzu cut off his following insult.

"Whatever, Hidan, we're going," He said.

"Tch, fine,"

With that, the two disappeared.

Ai heaved a sigh and jumped to the ground, landing gracefully before he knees buckled beneath her, numerous joints in her body cracking as she did so.

"Oh…Ai-chan, are you okay?" Miya asked as she neared her black-haired partner. Ai looked up to her.

"Perfectly, my limbs hurt a little bit, and my wound is kinda sore, but I'll sleep it off," She said, grinning tiredly. Miya frowned, not believing her; however her attention was pulled to Deidara as he jumped down from his position, moving his arms in an attempt to wake them back up. Kakuzu had somehow sewed Deidara's arms back on in the few minutes between his return and the start of the Jinchuuriki extraction. Ai had no clue how.

"Dei!" Miya called, standing up straight and making her way over to the blonde bomber. "How are your arms doing? Do they feel alright?" Deidara looked at her.

"Yeah, even though this damned marathon made me lose feeling in them, they feel much better than before," He said as his shoulder cracked. "Kakuzu does good work."

"…" Miya was silent for a moment, before she smiled. "That's good to hear, I'm glad."

At her spot on the ground, Ai smirked. "_They really _are_ hitting it off,_" She thought. "_Go Miya, go!_" Ai yawned a bit, cutting off her mental cheering.

"Augh, staying awake and focused for six days straight has exhausted me," Way to state the obvious. "I need sleep." She stood, and slowly made her way to the 'bed chambers', as she decided to call it.

Collapsing on her 'bed', Ai clicked the button on the side and quickly allowed herself to be forced into a deep sleep…

The mechanical whirring of the 'bed's cover awoke Ai, and she let out a loud yawn. Opening her eyes, she saw the bright green hair of her partner.

"Oh, Miya-chan," She said. "Why'd you wake me up? How long have I been asleep?"

"Almost three days," Miya replied. "Leader is gathering everyone again. You need to come." Ai frowned.

"Did Hidan and Kakuzu return already?" She asked, rubbing her eyes and sitting up. Miya shook her head, and Ai felt a pang of disappointment. "_Idiot_," She mentally scolded herself as she got off her 'bed'. She looked down at the bloodstains on her cloak. Oh, her wound looked like it healed. That's good.

Returning to the room that Ai felt she had only left a few seconds before, the two partners took their positions. After a moment, the Leader appeared, as well as the shadowed female that always seemed to be with him.

"Hidan and Kakuzu are dead," He stated bluntly. Ai's heart skipped and her eyes grew so wide that she feared they'd fall out of her head. "As such, they are no longer members of the Akatsuki."

"Wait a goddamned second!" Ai almost screamed. "What the fuck do you mean they're 'dead!? Hidan _can't_ die! I don't know about Kakuzu, but there's no way Hidan could be dead!"

"Whatever the case, they are no longer members of this organization," Leader stated, unfazed by Ai's outburst.

"What the hell kind of reasoning is that!?" Ai formed a sign with her hands, but stopped as Leader spoke.

"Don't," He ordered. "If you attempt to find them, you will be removed from Akatsuki as well."

"Up yours!" Ai snarled, ripping the string around her neck and throwing the ring it held at Leader. She then disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Ai-chan…!" Miya began, making a sign with her hands as well.

"Miya!" Deidara stopped her, speaking firmly. He shook his head as she looked at him, telling her not to follow Ai. Miya lowered her hands sadly.

Ai dashed through the forest surrounding the Akatsuki hideout. Hidan _couldn't_ be dead, right? He was still immortal! There was no way he could die! ...Right?

"Kakuzu said they were going to Konoha," Ai muttered to herself, recalling the statement by the masked ninja moments before he and his partner departed. "I did hear that right…didn't I?" Ai frowned, doubting her own memory. She could have just imagined it…being so tired at the time, it wouldn't be surprising if she…

Ai shook her head. The last thing she needed was to doubt herself. If they weren't in Konoha, she'd search somewhere else. She stopped suddenly.

"…" She stared silently ahead of her, trying working out all the thoughts buzzing in her head. She knew why she was so panicked, even though she didn't want to admit it. And she couldn't help but laugh at her own foolishness. "Hah, I can't believe I'm so determined to save Hidan…" She muttered, putting a hand on her forehead.

She and Hidan had never gotten along, not when they first met, and not when she last spoke to him. Ai laughed again.

"I'm such an _idiot_!" She said, still laughing. "Reminiscing at a time like this. Stupid!" She began running again, thinking of where she should look for Hidan first.

"I guess I should look for Kakuzu too…" She murmured. "But he may _really_ be dead…whatever."

Day soon turned to night, and Ai lost all sense of time. She didn't know how far she had ran, nor how long. But none of that mattered. She couldn't die anyway, so she need not worry about exhaustion.

Her running came to a stop, however, when she came across a large open area in the forest. She frowned, looking around. It seemed like the forest had been…destroyed. Ai gasped as her eyes fell on a large body nearby her. A body with dark skin, four strange faces sticking out of its back, and numerous black threads all over.

"K-Kakuzu!" Ai said, dashing over to the body. "Oh my god…!" She kneeled down, staring at the body of Hidan's partner—former partner.

"So you _were_ killed, huh…" She muttered. "I don't know if I should pray for you or what, but…" She had never really known Kakuzu, now that she thought about it. They had only really talked…what, once?

Ai leaned forward slightly, planning on getting a closer look at Kakuzu's body.

"Ow!" She quickly drew back as she felt something prick her hand. She looked, and on her palm was a small cut, from which a drop of blood escaped. Glancing down, Ai saw the end of a thick, black thread where she had placed her hand. It was the same type of thread that the stitches in Kakuzu's arms consisted of.

"Geez, I guess this is how Hidan got his head sewed back on…" Ai muttered, remembering her first encounter with the silver-haired ninja, when she had cut his head off. She chuckled.

"_Fuck!" Hidan's decapitated head screamed, despite not having vocal chords. "God damnit woman! That fucking hurt!"_

"_A-ah…" Ai stared in horror at the sight before her, trying to work out _how_ a severed head could still talk._

"_What are you waiting for? Pick me up damnit!" Hidan shouted at her._

"_GOOD GOD!" She screamed, kicking Hidan's head, which hit a tree and bounced off, hitting the ground again._

"_AH! Damnit woman! What the fuck!?"_

Ai continued to laugh at the (slightly fond) memory. She had never bothered to think about it then, but when she had come to, at the Akatsuki hideout, Hidan _had_ had his head sewn back on.

"Hm," Ai pulled on the thread, and stared in shock as it came free, pulling Kakuzu's arm off with it. "Oh shit, sorry! But, incase I do find Hidan, and he's in pieces…I'll need this." She pulled on another string, frowning as it slightly cut into her palm. Stuffing the string into her cloak, Ai stood.

"I'll come back and bury you, even if I don't find Hidan," She said. "I promise. So don't decompose while I'm gone." Ai mentally laughed at herself, seeing that she was talking to a corpse. But she pushed that though aside, and ran off into the forest again.

She continued to run, until she tripped on an upturned rock, and fell face first onto another rock.

"Ah! Fuck!" She shouted, sitting up and holding her bloodied face. She could feel the wound in her chest begin to reopen as well. "Nng…damnit!"

Ai looked down, and saw that the ground beneath her was different than the ground she had previously been running on. It seemed…like someone had just dug it up. Or, more so, dug a hole then filled it with rocks. There was blood splattered around the edges, as well. She frowned, wincing slightly at the pain it caused the wound on the side of her head.

Something in the back of Ai's mind told her to dig. And, figuring it was worth a shot, she did. With the blood and everything, as well as Kakuzu's corpse being nearby, it was a good chance Hidan was here.

She pulled at a rock nearby, and when it came loose, shoved it to the side, out of her way. She did the same to numerous other rocks around her, and continued this action as she got further and further into the hole in the ground.

As Ai dug, she found herself becoming more and more hopeful. Her heart beat hard and fast in her chest, filled with excitement. Could Hidan really be here?

She was so absorbed in her hopes; Ai didn't even notice the skin that was being shaved off of her hands from her digging. What's more, he didn't notice when her fingernail was ripped clean off by a rock she pushed aside. Breathing heavily, Ai stopped for a moment, attempting to regain her energy.

She swallowed slightly, just then realizing the burning pain in her hands. She took a deep breath, and once again began to dig, ignoring the searing pain now radiating up her arms.

"_Damnit…_" Ai thought. "_I'm not going to stop…until I either find Hidan, or reach the bottom of this hole. Stop…fucking _hurting_, hands!_" She clenched her jaw, forcing the pain back down.

"_Hidan…ugh, please be here…_" Ai found herself mentally begging. She felt something warm run down her cheek, followed by the same sensation on her other cheek, then again, and again.

Ai realized, then, that she was crying.

Crying out of worry. Out of fear.

Crying…for Hidan.

"Damnit…what the hell is that noise?" Spoke a voice.

_What was that…?_

"I swear if that Nara kid is digging me up…!"

_Could it seriously be…!?_

Moving another rock, Ai saw the face she so longed to see. Silver hair; though now it was dirty and messy, unlike its usual neat look. Magenta eyes; still as angry and cold as they had always been. Even though it was only his head, as bloodied and bashed as it was, it was definitely enough.

"H-Hidan!" Ai said, amazed that she actually found him

"Wha…Ai!? What the hell are _you_ doing here?" Hidan said, shocked as well. "And…what the hell happened to your face?"

"Ah…aha…oh, my god, I can't believe I actually _found_ you!" Ai laughed, swallowing a sob and ignoring his question.

"What…are—are you…crying?" Hidan asked, staring at Ai's bloody, tear stained face. Ai laughed again.

"I guess so," She said, wiping her tears away. "Stupid, huh? Jashin-sama is gonna _kill _m--…uh, Nevermind." Hidan frowned.

"What are you crying for?" He asked. "And you never answered the question of _what are you DOING_ _here_?"

"Oh yeah," Ai said, unable to keep herself from smiling. "Leader said that you and Kakuzu were killed, so—"

"What? That asshole! He knows I can't die!" Hidan said, angrily.

"That's what _I_ said," Ai laughed. "But anyway, I yelled at him and went to leave, and he tried to threaten me by saying…" Ai paused, coughing slightly and trying her best to imitate Leader. "_If you leave, you will be removed from the Akatsuki as well!_ So I said 'Up yours' and came out here to…" Ai lowered her voice and looked away, finding it embarrassing to say out loud. "Find…you…"

Hidan frowned and looked away as well. "Why?" He asked, finally. "What's the point of actually coming all the fucking way out here just to dig me out of a ditch?" Ai frowned. She _saves_ him, and he bitches about it? What the hell?

"What's your problem?" She asked. "I just _saved_ you, why are you being so—"

"I never asked you to save me!" Hidan shouted back. Being 'saved' probably bruised his ego a bit. "I could have actually managed to _die_ here! Why the hell would you even bother—"  
Ai knew why. Of course she did. It was selfish, yes. And it was sinful (for Jashin anyway), yes. But she would never admit it.  
Despite that fact, however, the words flew from her mouth before she could even hear herself speak. "Because, I-I love you, damnit!!"

Ai covered her mouth, muttering a quiet 'shit!' and lowered her head. Her cheeks flamed pink in embarrassment.

Hidan's face, though Ai didn't see it, was twisted in shock. He tried his best to register the words Ai had just shouted at him, but he couldn't quite grasp it. The two stayed in an awkward silence for a while, before Ai spoke up in a shaky voice.

"…I-I'm…going to get you out of here," She muttered. "S-so…shut up, and stop complaining…" Hidan didn't respond, but instead watched as Ai pulled his arm out from a nearby rock, and began scaling the wall of the large hole they were in.

When she made it to the top, Ai set Hidan's arm down, and jumped back to the bottom, almost falling over as she landed. She expected Hidan to crack a joke about it; however, he stayed silent, making the atmosphere all the more awkward.

Ai continued to carry Hidan's blown-off body parts to the surface (and you better believe she was she thankful when his lower body was miraculously intact), leaving his head for last.

Finally, she gently picked up Hidan's head, held it in the crook of her elbow, making sure she didn't drop him, and climbed the wall again.

After a few minutes, Ai managed to get to the top, and collapsed on the ground next to the rest of Hidan's dismembered body parts. It took a moment of heavy breathing for her to regain her energy, and once that was done she sat up and retrieved the thick, black thread from her cloak. Grabbing Hidan's upper abdomen and his arm, Ai went to work sewing him back up.

Hidan was quiet for a moment, before he spoke up, "Where's Kakuzu?" Ai looked at him, a spark of sympathy in her eyes.

"He…" She paused. "He's dead, Hidan." Hidan was silent, staring at Ai and trying to comprehend her words. After a second, he snickered.

"Hah, and that asshole kept telling _me_ to not let my guard down or I'd die," He laughed. "Bastard." Ai frowned. Hidan's partner was dead, D-E-A-D, dead. And he was laughing?

…What an asshole.

But, at least the awkward mood was gone. Partially, anyway.  
Minutes passed in silence as Ai continued to sew Hidan's body together. She would occasionally sneak a glance at his face out of the corner of her eye, only to look away in embarrassment a second later.

Finally, the last stitch in Hidan's neck was sewn, and Ai bit the thread and dropped the remains on the ground.

"Aaah, that's much better," Hidan muttered, working his limbs and getting used to the awkward feeling of the stitches.

"Be careful doing that," Ai said. "I have no idea how strong those threads are, or if I even sewed you up right. It'll be a pain to re-sew you."

"Yeah, yeah, I know" Hidan replied. "Kakuzu's given me this rant too many times to count, these stitches haven't broken once."  
Ai frowned. "If you say so." The two of them stood. Ai watched as Hidan tried to regain feeling in his legs, walking around and kicking the air, before she turned away and tried to sort her thoughts out.

"_Shit,_" She thought. "_I said it. I said it _out loud_. He knows now, god damnit. I'm so screwed._"

"Ai," Hidan's voice broke Ai from her thoughts, and she turned to look at him.

He grabbed the front of her Akatsuki cloak and pulled her towards him, roughly crashing their lips together. Ai squeaked, and her hands pressed against Hidan's chest in a slight attempt to push him away. This attempt only lasted a second or two, however, as Ai slowly allowed the kiss, and as soon as her lips began to move against Hidan's, he pulled away.

Ai frowned, and didn't dare open her eyes, but instead just listened to Hidan as he spoke. "You can't feel that way about me," He said, making every muscle in Ai's body tense, not liking to sound of that statement. "Your…love is impossible, so don't bother with it."

Hidan moved away from her, ignoring the twinge of guilt he felt as Ai's hands limply slid down his chest and fell to her sides.

"…I see…" Ai finally spoke, looking at the space between Hidan's feet. She sighed. "I kinda saw that comin' actually. I dunno what else I expected you to say." Hidan easily saw through Ai's words, seeing the pain she was in.

"Don't go thinking I'm unhappy, asshole," Ai said, glaring up at Hidan, but not making eye contact. "It's a sin, after all, isn't it? To love, I mean. Jashin wouldn't be too happy if it was any other way."

"…" Hidan frowned at her. "Yeah."

"So, what do we do now?" Ai asked, stretching. "Neither one of us is in the Akatsuki anymore, and I don't have any particular place to be—oh crap!" Ai smacked her fist into her palm, remembering something.

"I still have to bury Kakuzu!"

Hidan started at her. "…What?"

"I saw his corpse on the way here, and I promised I'd bury him before I left the area. I need to do that," Ai explained, still not daring to lock gazes with Hidan. "Let's go."

"Ai," Hidan began.

"Can't waste any time, the sun will rise soon I'm sure, and if anyone shows up we are _screwed_."

"Ai…"

"Hurry it up, Hidan! You're slowin' me down!"

"Ai, god damnit!" Hidan shouted, finally getting the girl to stop walking.

"Geez, what is _so_ important that you need to scream?" She asked, not turning around.

"Look at me," Hidan ordered. Ai didn't comply.

"What?" She instead asked. "Why? I've looked at you befo—"

"**Look at me.**" Hidan pushed, grabbing Ai's shoulders and turning her to face him. He frowned deeply when Ai's eyes never met his face. "You aren't looking."

"Why do you want me to look at you so badly, anyway?" She muttered.

"You haven't looked at my eyes once," He said. "I know what's wrong and, frankly, it's pissing me off."

Ai scoffed unhappily. "Oh, it pisses _you_ off, eh? So if it pisses you off I immediately have to stop it, huh?" She still didn't look at him. "Well, just for that, I'm not going to stop." Hidan frowned.

"Dumbass bitch," He said, smacking the back of her head. "You're nothing more than a kid, getting upset over shit like this." Ai looked at him, now extremely pissed off.

"You fucking asshole!" She shouted, not realizing she finally met Hidan's eyes. "Who the hell said I was fucking upse—"

"You're looking," Hidan said, smirking triumphantly. Ai stopped.

"…Shit!" She complained, stomping her foot angrily. "You tricked me!"

"Hardly," He replied, still smirking.

"You did too! You pissed me off _knowing_ I'd look at you in the eyes if you got me mad enough!"

"You want to bury Kakuzu right? Let's get moving before the sun rises, like you said."

"Don't ignore me damnit!"

"'Hurry it up, Ai! You're slowin' me down!'"

"And don't mock me either! Damnit, you son of a bitch, get BACK here!!"


	12. Epilogue

"Damnit, Hidan! What is _with_ you and spending all the money I tried so hard to steal from those old guys?"

"What? I didn't spend any of it! You're the one who insisted we get new clothes with the Jashin symbol on it!"

"Oh, yeah, sure. That hardly cost anything! Besides, wouldn't any LOYAL Jashin follower do the same?"

"Don't pull that loyal crap on m—"

"So it's settled. You'll stop spending all my—"

"_Our_, damnit!"

"Fine…_our_ carefully thieved money, on hookers and booze."

"_Hookers and booze_!?"

"Tha's right."

"You act as if I don't have my own personal hooker right here! And 'booze' is for pussies."

"Hah! You're just mad 'cause you can't have none of this!"

"I already _did_ have it."

"And it was good, wasn't it?"

"Psh, hardly."

"Lying bastard."

Hidan and Ai continued to argue; like they often did over the years since they met each other and got kicked out of the Akatsuki.

And Ai had long ago forgotten, what she called, her mortal concerns. Such as, dieing, dieing before Hidan, aging. Stuff like that.

"Hey," She spoke quietly. "Hidan?"

"Hn?" Hidan didn't look at her, but stared forward, watching the trees as they seemed to part to the side so the two ninja could pass.

Ai smiled, and threw her arms around Hidan's neck, pressing her lips to his cheek. "I love you" She cooed. Hidan chuckled slightly, having gotten used to this action. Ai had begun doing this fairly soon after she had blurted out her love for him.

The first time she did it, he freaked out a bit, shouting numerous 'what the hell!?'s at her and repeating the 'your love is impossible' lecture, to which Ai replied "Well that IS my name, isn't it? Fukanou Ai? Impossible Love?" Ooh, how that had pissed him off.

After that, however, he just grunted at the action…until once, when he was particularly aggravated.

Ai had thrown her arms around him, like she just did, and kissed his cheek, purring 'I love you' as she would. Hidan, not interested in the fluffiness of that action, pulled her off of him and pushed her hard against a nearby tree, smashing their lips together passionately.

Ai was more than happy with this, of course.

The details of what followed need not be described; however Hidan and Ai both found it quite awkward that they'd committed such a sin.  
Not that that kept Ai from poking fun at Hidan after that.

"I can't feel that way about you, huh?" She'd tease. "Well what do you call _that_ then, hmm?"

"Shut up," Hidan would mutter, his cheeks flaming a bright, embarrassed pink.

That was a while ago, though. The two ninja had accepted their night together, and decided that the feelings between them would remain unspoken (for Hidan, anyway).

"Come on, let me go, Ai," Hidan spoke to the girl who still hung on his neck.

"Aww" Ai whined. "Oh, fine." She released him, but not after placing another quick peck on his cheek.

"And enough with the kissing…" Hidan muttered, wiping Ai's saliva off his cheek. She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Never," She stated, gaining a slight snicker from Hidan.

"Fine, whatever," He said. "You'll be the one going to hell anyway."

"Puh-_lease_!" Ai shouted.

Thunder boomed in the sky, echoing through the still forest air. The two ninja looked skyward.

"Feh, just my luck," Hidan frowned as a raindrop fell onto his nose. He groaned and wiped the water off.

"Should we find someplace to camp for the night?" Ai asked, putting her arms above her head as more drops of rain fell to the earth.

"Yeah," Hidan replied, and raised his arm, pointing to a nearby cave. "There."

"Huh, how convenient," Ai stated, following her sliver-haired lover to the cave as the rain pelted down harder.

The two collapsed onto the ground, trying to dry themselves off.

"Damn, the rain only just freaking started and I'm _already_ soaked!" Hidan complained. Ai wrung some of the rain water out of her hair.

"Hah, at least your shirt isn't _white_," She stated, quickly folding her arms over the now see-through fabric of her shirt. Hidan chuckled at her.

"What are you covering up for? It's not like I haven't seen 'em," He said, smirking. Ai frowned.

"Well forgive me for having _shame_…" Her sentence was cut short by a sneeze. She groaned. "Damnit." Hidan chuckled again.

"Cold?"

"No duh, ass," Ai replied, pulling her knees to her chest. "I guess I forgot the warmth factor when I got these clothes…"

"Maybe a little," Hidan said sarcastically, gaining a pout from the black-haired woman beside him. He sighed, and scooted towards her, sliding his arm around her wet, and now shivering, form. He pulled her close to him.

"Huh?" Ai looked at him.

"Shut it," He said, making himself more comfortable. "I'm cold myself, ya know." Ai's demeanor softened a bit, and her lips curved up.

"Thanks," She said, taking advantage of the situation and leaning against him. Hidan tensed for a second, before relaxing slightly and sighing.

"This is a one time thing," He said.

"Sure it is."

The two sat quietly, listening to the pitter-patter of the rain outside, and watching lightning crack open the sky. Hours seemed to pass, and the rain showed no sign of stopping. Ai sighed a bit.

"Fuckin' weather," She muttered, snuggling closer to Hidan (for warmth, of course). Hidan made a 'hn' noise, and allowed her to cling to him. He even went so far as to wrap his arm tighter around her.

"Hey, Hidan," Ai said, half expecting the man she was cuddling with to be asleep.

"Huh?" He replied, to her surprise.

"How long has it been since we quit the Akatsuki?"

"You quit. That asshole leader expelled me," Hidan said.

"Whatever," Ai said, looking up to meet his magenta eyes. "Answer my question."

"Hell if I know," Hidan stated, yawning a bit. "I never keep track of these things." Ai nodded, and snuggled close to him again.

"Stop that," Hidan demanded.

"Don't wanna."

"Tch."

They returned to silence, the only noises being their breathing, the rain and the occasional crack of thunder. Ai laid her head against Hidan's chest, determined to make the most of the rare situation she was in. She closed her eyes and listened to his heartbeat. It seemed off, and a bit struggled.

"Hidan," She said, her own voice startling her from the silence they were in. "Your heartbeat sounds weird."

"…Thank you?" Hidan didn't quite know how to reply to that statement. Ai laughed a bit.

"I'm just saying. It's sounds like your heart will give out any second," She looked up at him again, slightly fearful of that idea and just making sure he was still with her.

"It's gotten a lot of abuse, so it makes sense," He said, making stabbing motions with his hands. "With the rituals and everything."

Ai nodded. "Point," She said. "…How many times have you really tried to kill yourself?"

"What is with the _questions_?" Hidan complained. "I don't know. I never bothered to count, but it's a lot…" Ai frowned.

"Is being immortal _really_ that bad?" She asked. "I don't think so…"

"You haven't been alive as long as I have," Hidan retorted, picturing all the fuzzy memories he had in his mind for a second. "It gets…painful, after a while." Ai wrapped her arms around him.

"That's why you're a masochist though, right?" She asked. To her surprise, Hidan laughed.

"'Guess so," He said. "It's convenient that I'd end up being stuck with a sadistic bitch for the rest of eternity too."

"Hey!" Ai laughed. "I am _not_ a bitch!"

"I beg to differ." They continued to laugh for a few moments.

"See it isn't _so_ bad!" Ai insisted. "You have me to mess with for eternity, so it's not like your immortality is so much a curse anymore." Hidan let out a sarcastic 'hah'.

"I still wish Jashin-sama would _reverse_ this curse though."

"Gee! I feel loved!" Ai protested. Hidan shook her playfully.

"Oh, shut up," He said.

Thunder cracked again, startling Ai and ruining the moment they had.

"Damnit, sky!" She complained, burying her face in Hidan's shirt.

"You afraid of thunder?" Hidan asked.

"…" Ai didn't reply. She wasn't of course, but if it kept Hidan from letting her go, she was willing to lie. Hidan laughed at her.

"Wussy," He teased. Ai shot up and glared at him.

"What you call me?" She asked angrily.

"You heard me," Hidan grinned. Ai slammed her forehead against his, gaining a loud 'Ow!' from him.

"Asshole, I never said yes."

"Well you didn't say no, either!"

"Just because I didn't deny it doesn't mean I accepted it!"

"And not accepting it doesn't mean you deny it!"

"Not accepting something is the _definition _of denying!"

They growled at each other, grinding their foreheads together and glaring directly into each others eyes. Ai scoffed and went to pull away from him, but something tugged on her neck, keeping her from getting to far. She looked down, and saw that her Jashin necklace (which she had found in a small village shop. She was amazed they sold it) was tangled up with Hidan's.

She made an attempt to untangle them, but failed. "Ugh. Help me," She ordered. Hidan rolled his eyes, but did so. He tugged on the chain, which in turn tugged on Ai, and caused her to lose her balance. She fell against him, and he lost his balance too, and tumbled to the ground.

Hidan shouted unhappily as Ai's body collided with his, and his body collided with the ground. "Fuck!" He shouted.

Ai groaned as well, shifting slightly but not getting off him. "Smooth, ass," she said.

"Shut up and get the fuck off me," Hidan spat.

"No….I'm comfy…" Ai retorted quietly. Hidan sighed.

"You know, you're annoying," He said, gaining no response. He looked down, and saw that Ai was asleep. He rolled his eyes, before letting his eyelids flutter closed and slowly falling asleep.

Simply moments after the two drifted into their slumber, the rain stopped, and the moon was visible once again, sending silver rays of light down outside the cave.

* * *

_So, this is the end of Reverse This Curse. I hope you all liked it _:D_ I certainly loved writing it, and I myself am actually sad it's over XD_

_But, Deidara-Kun-Fangirl gave me a great idea to rewrite the ending in Hidan's point-of-view. So I can still write a bit more about Hidan and Ai (and I'll be sure to post it once it's done)!  
_

_I may end up writing a 'deleted scenes' type fanfic for this too. Just little side stories with Hidan and Ai (and possibly other members of the Akatsuki) in no particular order. I'm not sure if I will or not yet, but just keep an eye out in case I do XD_

_And a final thank you to all my readers and reviewers!_


	13. Alternate Ending

_Hello again, HidanAi fans _:D _Here's the Alternate Ending of Reverse This Curse! Sorry it took me forever to write it. _XD

_Thanks to Deidara-Kun-Fangirl for giving me this idea!_

* * *

What sounded like thunder rumbled above the head—and only the head—of a certain silver haired ninja as he tried to come to terms with being buried beneath 30 or more feet of rock for the rest of eternity. The thunder grew louder, and seemingly closer, until it began to annoy him.

"Damnit…" He muttered, wincing as the rock squishing his head shifted slightly, "What the hell is that noise?" The thunder above him stopped for a moment, but quickly resumed.

"I swear if it's that Nara kid digging me up…!" He remembered the threat he screamed at the smoking Jounin before he was buried. He _would_ keep his word! He'd kill him, even if he only had his teeth! He swore to Jashin he would!

Suddenly, light flooded into his eyes, burning his darkness-adjusted retinas.

"H-Hidan!"

Hidan opened his eyes and looked in disbelief at the familiar face he was somehow relieved to see. Her golden eyes were filled with tears, something he'd never seen before.

"Wha…Ai!?" He said, all his previous thoughts abolished, "What the hell are _you_ doing here?" He took a moment to examine the blood and bruises on Ai's face, making him frown in slight concern, "And…what the hell happened to your face?"

He stared on as Ai laughed joyfully, more tears pouring from her eyes. "Oh, my god…I can't believe I actually _found_ you!" She almost sobbed.

"Wha…" Hidan reached out to grab her with arms and hands he did not have. "Are—are you…crying?" She laughed again, and Hidan had wished she didn't. Her laugh sounded more like a sob, and he didn't want to hear that.

"I guess so…" She said, making a poor attempt to wipe her tears away. "Stupid, huh? Jashin is gonna _kill_ m--…uh, never mind." Hidan frowned at her. Was she…crying for _him_? No way…

"What are you crying for? And you never answered the question of _what are you DOING here_?" Ai smiled through her tears at him.

"Oh, yeah," She said, "Leader said you and Kakuzu were killed so—" Hidan's anger flared and he interrupted her sentence.

"That asshole!" He shouted, "He knows I can't die!"

"That's what _I_ said!" Ai chuckled, and Hidan found that slightly reassuring, as it no longer sounded like a sob. "Anyway, I went to leave and he threatened me by saying…" She paused, clearing her throat, making her voice deep in an attempt to imitate Leader, "_If you leave you will be removed from the Akatsuki as well~!_" She laughed a bit, "So I said 'up yours', threw my ring at him, and came here to…find…you…" Hidan could see a tiny bit of a blush on her cheeks as she looked away.

He was silent as his eyes traveled away from Ai, before he finally found his voice, "Why?" Ai looked at him in confusion. "What's the point of actually coming all the way out here just to dig me out of a fucking ditch?" He felt slightly bad about bitching at her when she went out of her way to _save _him…but how long had he been trying to die? He finally had a chance at death…and she took it away.

"What's your problem?" Ai asked; hurt barely surfaced in her voice. "I just _saved_ you, why are you being so—" Hidan snapped against his will, unable to bite back the words he didn't want to shout at her.

"I never asked you to 'save' me! I could actually have managed to _die_ here! Why the hell would you even bother—"

"Because, I-I love you, damnit!" Ai's words echoed in Hidan's ears, and he couldn't quite grasp their meaning. He watched absently as she covered her mouth and lowered her bright pink face in an attempt to hide her embarrassment.

Hidan tried hard to absorb the words she shouted at him. He definitely understood them, but he couldn't quite believe that she just…told him that.

"I-I'm…going to get you out of here, s-so…just shut up and stop complaining…" Ai said, not looking at him as she pulled one of Hidan's limbs from beneath a nearby rock.

He was silent as she continued to carry his limbs to the surface of the hole, going over in his head she could _possibly_ feel that way about him.  
Not that he never suspected it, but he never really thought she did…_love _him.

He was pulled from his thoughts as he felt Ai's warm hands, compared to the fairly cold night air, touch his face and pull him up. He frowned and closed his eyes as Ai held him tightly in the crook of her elbow. He listened to her heavy, labored breathing, feeling a bit bad that she went through all that trouble to 'save' him and he just bitched at her…

He felt himself be set down, and opened his eyes to see Ai collapse onto the ground. He continued to stay silent as she regained her breath and energy.

It gained his attention, though, when Ai sat up and pulled a familiar thick black thread from her cloak and began to sew his abdomen to his lower body.

A certain asshole partner of his flashed through his mind quickly.

"Where _is_ Kakuzu?" He asked, looking at Ai. She twitched slightly, then turned to face him, sympathy gracing her face.

"He…" She paused, and Hidan quirked an eyebrow. "He's dead, Hidan."

Silence hung between them for a moment, and Hidan slowly allowed his lips to curve upwards as he snickered.

"And that asshole kept on telling _me_ not to let my guard own or I'd die!" He laughed, "Bastard." Ai stared at him, almost in disbelief. Hidan sighed slightly as he calmed himself down, realizing that Ai had returned to sewing him together.

It took her a while, but eventually Ai finished sewing up Hidan's body, and started sewing his head to his neck.

"Ow," He muttered as the sharp thread pierced his skin, a tiny bit of pleasure mixed in with the pain. Ai ignored his quiet protest and continued sewing him together until she was finished.

Hidan sighed and cracked his neck. "Aaah, that's much better." He muttered.

"Be careful doing that. I have no idea how strong those threads are, or if I even sewed you up right. It'll be a pain to re-sew you," Ai scolded, and Hidan had to restrain rolling his eyes. She better not become like Kakuzu. That'd piss him off.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," He said, cracking his shoulder, "Kakuzu's given me this rant too many times to count, these stitches haven't broken once."

He noticed Ai frown. "If you say so." She said. Hidan stood up, and Ai did the same. He stretched his legs, making sure everything was where it was supposed to be and it did its job right.

Hidan paused as Ai turned away from him. He looked over at her, observing her nervous and slightly panicked posture. He frowned, knowing the problem.

He cast his eyes away from her, not quite sure what to do. He had been alive many, many years; of course he had fallen in love before. The only thing that kept him from doing that again was the mortality of the women he might grow to care for.

But Ai was different.

Ai was immortal now, like he was. Thinking about it, that may have been the only reason he _had_ grown feelings for her, in some odd subconscious need for affection that wouldn't put him through all the pain when it died.

In the back of his mind, the very back of his mind, he knew that wasn't the case, though.

Of course, Jashin also held him back from pleasures like that. He couldn't allow himself to fall in love with someone.

Little did he know it wasn't his choice.

"Ai," Hidan said, getting the attention of the woman he was afraid he loved. She turned to look at him, and what he had planned to say disappeared from his mind. His body took over, and grabbed Ai, pulling her towards him and pressing their lips together. He could feel her tense and try to push him away before she gave in slightly.

Hidan knew Jashin would hate him for this, but he was willing to make that sacrifice. If he couldn't have Ai forever, he at least wanted to have a taste of what it would be like.

Their lips were together for only a moment before Hidan made them part. He could sense Ai's disappointment. Hidan swallowed slightly, before he remembered what he meant to say.

"…You can't feel that way about me," He said. Ai froze, and he knew she didn't like that. He had to force the rest of the words from his mouth; otherwise he wouldn't be able to say them. "Your…love is impossible, so don't bother with it." _Please…_

Ai was quiet as he moved away from her, and he pushed the guilt back down into his would-be emotionless body.

"I…see…" Ai muttered, and Hidan thought she was crying. She didn't look up at him, and that bothered Hidan. "I…" The sorrowed pause was hardly noticeable, but Hidan heard it. "Kinda saw that comin' actually. I dunno what else I expected you to say." Hidan held his body back from trying to console her, her façade easily see-through.

"Don't go thinking I'm unhappy, asshole." She lifted her eyes to him and glared, but their eyes never met. Hidan frowned. "It's a sin, after all, isn't it? To love, I mean. Jashin wouldn't be too happy if it was any other way."

_That is the case, but…_

"…Yeah," Hidan said. She stretched and turned away. He could see her trembling slightly.

"So, what do we do now?" She asked. "Neither one of us is in the Akatsuki anymore, and I don't have any particular place to be—oh crap!"

Hidan quirked an eyebrow as Ai smacked a fist into her palm. Apparently she just remembered something important.

"I still have to bury Kakuzu!" She stated.

"…What?"

"I saw his corpse on the way here," Ah, so that's how she knew he was dead. "And I promised I'd bury him before I left the area. I need to do that." She still refused to look in his eyes. "Let's go."

"Ai…" He tried. He couldn't stand it when someone acted like they were okay, but really weren't (making him a hypocrite).

"Can't waste any time," Ai laughed a bit, but it was extremely obvious that it was fake, "The sun will rise soon I'm sure, and if anyone shows up we are _screwed_."

"Ai…!" Hidan tried again, but she turned and started to walk away.

"Hurry it up, Hidan!" Hidan frowned. "You're slowin' me down!"

"Ai, god damnit!" He shouted, finally getting Ai to stop walking away from him.

"Geez, what is _so_ important that you need to scream?" She asked, but still didn't look at him.

"Look at me." He ordered. Ai didn't do so.

"…What? Why? I've looked at you before…"

"**Look at me**." He grabbed Ai's shoulders and forced her around, but she looked at the ground instead of him. "You aren't looking…!" He was really irritated now.

""Why do you want me to look at you so badly, anyway?" She muttered, trying to change the subject. He wouldn't allow her to get out of this.

"You haven't looked at my eyes_ once_," He said, squeezing her shoulders, noticing she was still trembling. "I know what's wrong and, frankly, it's pissing me off."

She scoffed at him, but still didn't raise her head. "Oh, it pisses _you_ off, eh? So if it pisses you off I immediately have to stop it, huh? Just for that, I'm not going to stop it."

Hidan frowned deeper and clenched his jaw. Fine, he'd just resort to pissing her off.

"Dumbass bitch," He said, smacking the back of her head. "You're nothing more than a kid, getting upset over shit like this." He restrained a smirk as she glared up at him, unintentionally meeting his eyes.

"You fucking asshole!" She hissed. "Who the hell said I was fucking upset—"

"You're looking," Hidan couldn't restrain the smirk any longer, and let it form on his lips as realization dawned on Ai's face.

"…SHIT!" She stomped her foot in anger. "You tricked me!"

"Hardly," Hidan replied. Okay, maybe he did.

"You did too!" Ai flailed unhappily. "You pissed me off _knowing_ I'd look at you in the eyes if you got me mad enough!"

Hidan snickered, and changed the subject. "You want to bury Kakuzu right? Let's get moving before the sun rises, like you said."

"Don't ignore me damnit!" Ai shouted after him. He grinned as he walked away.

"'Hurry it up, Ai! You're slowin' me down!'"

"And don't mock me either! Damnit, you son of a bitch, get BACK here!!"

Hidan smiled to himself as Ai chased after him. He knew he cared about her, but sin or not, that wouldn't change.


End file.
